Trail's End (fifth and final in series)
by Red O'Toole
Summary: Heyes, Curry, and their new ranch foreman, Sam, finally make it back to Coldwater to get their horse ranch up and running while waiting for their amnesties. While the homecoming is joyous complications soon arrive with the Silver Kid and Potter's gang. Author's Note: Hate to post unfinished stories, but I need the pressure to get this finished! Prods are useful!
1. Chapter 1

Trail's End

By

Red O'Toole

Chapter One

A chill wind blew through the pines carrying with it the promise of winter. The three riders hunched deep into their heavy coats, their collars turned up and their hats pulled low. The horses they rode and those they led had their shaggy winter coats to protect them. The overcast sky gave no indication of the time of day.

The trail widened into an inviting clearing, one that in another season would provide good grazing for the horses and water from a nearby stream, now frozen, would provide plentiful water. A ring of stones showing the scorch marks of fire indicated this spot had been used by travelers in the past as a layover spot.

Three stomachs complained that it had been hours since their last meal and their owners reined in and took stock of the clearing.

"This looks like a likely spot to set up camp for the night," said the rider in the battered, used-to-be-white hat.

The other two were silent as they sat their unmoving horses and gazed at the place that not many months ago had been the site of near tragedy. The wind moaning through the trees spoke to them of pain and fear and grief. They exchanged a long look and the rider in the black hat pulled a watch out of his pocket. "If we push on we have just enough light to make it down the pass. I know we're tired and hungry, but I'd rather not camp here. What about you, Kid?"

"I'm with you, Heyes," replied the rider in the floppy brown hat. "If not stoppin' here meant no supper at all, I'd still ride on."

"What's wrong with this place?" the first speaker asked.

"This is where Heyes was nearly killed last summer, Sam," Kid Curry explained shortly.

"Oh, well, let's keep moving then."

Curry was in the lead as they reached the end of the forest, his eyes and ears alert as ever, though seemingly at ease in his saddle. A rustling in the underbrush instinctively sent his right hand to the butt of his gun and when several pheasants burst from cover in panic his lightning draw brought two down in midair. "Roast pheasant for supper!" he announced, swinging off his horse to retrieve the birds.

"That'll make a nice change of pace," Heyes commented. "Who's gonna pluck 'em, though?"

"_I_ shot 'em, so it only stands t'reason _you_ should pluck 'em!"

"You boys know I'll be the one to pluck 'em," Sam interjected. "_And_ cook 'em!"

"Well, you do have a real fine hand with trail cookin', Sam," Kid said with an appreciative grin.

"An' Kid knows two things really well, Sam, guns an' food!" Heyes added with his own twinkling eyed smile.

"I appreciate the compliment, but I hope you don't plan to have me cooking when we get to your ranch."

"Oh, no!" Curry exclaimed. "Your cookin' may be good, but _Mary_ now, _she_ cooks like an angel!"

"Careful, Kid, you're droolin'!" his partner kidded.

Curry threw his friend a dirty look and tied the birds to his saddle. "Seriously, Sam, you're in for a real treat," he continued as he remounted so they could continue their journey.

"I'm looking forward to it, Kid," Sam replied.

"You won't get that chance if we don't get down off this mountain," Heyes growled before urging his mount forward.

They paused again before starting down the pass and took in the view of the valley below.

Heyes drew a deep breath and released it saying, "Don't it look beautiful, Kid?"

"Yup, it does, Heyes."

"I got this feelin' I ain't had since I was little."

"An' what's that?"

"Like I'm comin' home," Heyes replied with a far off look in his eyes and a half smile on his lips.

"Know what you mean, Heyes," Curry said, "But first we gotta get these horses down this pass. Can you tell me again why we didn't take the easier road through Oakton?"

"That way would've added a week or more to our trip is why, Kid, same as the last time we came through here."

Curry grunted. "Yeah, well, one good thing is you ain't bleedin' this time down!"

"Another good thing is it hasn't snowed yet t'make the goin' slippery," the dark haired former outlaw added. "Can we get goin' now before the dark catches us up here?"

Although the trail was wide enough to ride two abreast, they took it single file so as to not crowd the rough broke mustangs they led. Heyes and Curry each had a string of three while Sam had four in tow. The mustangs had gotten used to the routine and were sure-footed and unafraid of the mountain trail. The group descended without mishap or misstep.

Not far off the trail at the bottom was a small clump of trees around a spring-fed pool screened somewhat from any traffic on the trail by several rather large boulders. Curry handed the lead rope of his string to Heyes and rode to check it over.

"This'll do fine," he reported as he reclaimed the string. "Water _and_ good cover."

"Well, as long as _you're_ happy with it, Kid," Heyes snorted and urged his horse off the trail.

In a routine well rehearsed over the weeks, they picketed the horses and set up their camp. Then while Sam cleaned and prepped the pheasants, Heyes set up a fire ring and got the fire going and Curry unpacked the cooking utensils and filled the coffee pot with fresh water from the pool. Soon the smell of roasting fowl began to fill the evening air and dripping fat sizzled into the fire accompanied by the aroma of coffee brewing.

Heyes poured himself a cup when the coffee was ready and sipped it while he watched the wrangler mix up a batch of biscuits. "I figure we should make our place sometime tomorrow afternoon," he calculated. "That's if we bypass the town an' just head on up. That's only a rough guess, though, since the last time through didn't give us a very accurate time t'base it on - - that felt more like a lifetime!"

"It almost _was_ a lifetime, Heyes, _your_ lifetime!" Curry reminded the other man.

"Huh, yeah, you're right, Kid."

"It's pretty isolated here, the odds seem pretty low anybody else'd be around," Sam commented. "How did it happen that you got shot? If you don't mind my asking, that is."

"Someone spotted us in Taylorsville," Kid cut in before Heyes could speak. "Someone with a grudge against _me_. He followed us - - shot Heyes from ambush - - t'get back at _me_!" Kid still felt his throat tighten when he talked about it.

"Why didn't he shoot you the same way?"

"That, most likely, was his plan, but I played on his pride, his reputation, how big it would be if he outdrew Kid Curry!"

"Which he obviously didn't do."

"_Nobody's_ faster than Kid Curry, Sam!" Heyes boasted proudly.

"_Yet,"_ Curry amended. "It's only a matter of time."

"Always the pessimist!" the other snorted.

Curry shrugged. "It's just the way it is - - some cocky youngster wantin' t'prove himself'll be that split second faster an' then _he'll_ be the fastest gun in the West an' I'll be wishin' 'im the best with it!"

"You won't be doin' any wishin', or anything else, in that case, Kid, cuz you'll be _dead_!" Heyes growled. "Somethin' we're tryin' to avoid, remember?"

"It ain't like I go _lookin'_ for trouble, Heyes!" Curry protested.

"I know, Kid," Heyes soothed. "Trouble just always seems t'find us! That's why we need someone like you, Sam - - someone who can be our public face, an' keep trouble from findin' our ranch."

"I'll sure do my best, Heyes, Kid." The wrangler and the former outlaws had formed an easy camaraderie during their trip from Coleville and a firm bond of friendship, something that never ceased to amaze Sam on the rare occasions that he gave thought to his companions' former occupation. "Most of the time these past couple of weeks I find myself forgetting that you're wanted outlaws, and then I wonder what my father's reaction would be if he knew who his black sheep son was consorting with!" he commented with a wry grin.

"He'd be appalled most likely - - disown you as his son and your poor mother would faint!" the darker outlaw laughed.

"You gotta not judge all outlaws based on what you know of us, though, Sam," Curry interjected seriously. "A good lot of 'em even Heyes an' me won't turn our backs on!"

"Yeah," Heyes agreed. "Most of 'em are perfectly happy livin' their lives of crime - - tryin' for amnest would never cross their minds! 'Course most of 'em don't have the kind of bounty on their heads we do t'motivate posses an' bounty hunters t'chase 'em relentlessly! An' as long as we have that money ridin' on us we ain't gonna be completely safe!"

"I knew as soon as I met you that you two were different, of course that was as sheriffs, but I guess it follows you'd be a different sort of outlaw, too. What about the rest of the Devil's Hole Gang? Are they like you?"

"I had rules an' Kid made sure they got followed. Anybody who didn't like 'em, or broke 'em, either left on their own or were kicked out. Wouldn't have mattered who did the shootin', if one of the gang killed somebody we'd _all_ hang!" Heyes explained.

"Dick Ramsey, the one who shot Heyes, was one of the kicked out ones," Curry put in.

"Funny thing is he was a complete stranger to me! He'd come in an' gotten himself kicked out by the Kid before I even got back from settin' the details on our next job!"

"Okay for _you_ t'think it's funny, Heyes! I sure don't!" Curry growled.

"I meant funny strange, Kid," the other replied with a roll of his eyes. "I didn't find anything amusin' in it either!" Heyes noticed the wrangler frowning thoughtfully. "What's on your mind, Sam?"

"Outlaws having rules just seems contradictory to me - - I mean, they're breaking laws, which _are_ rules!"

"Well, there _is_ your lone wolf type - - those who don't wanna live by anyone else's rules, but most outlaws tend t'run in some kind of group - - more protection, better chances of success - - an' they know there can only be one leader, who makes the rules. Now if enough of 'em are unhappy then they'll force a change of leadership."

"That ever happen to you?"

"Naw, ol' Wheat every now an' then _thought_ he'd make a better leader, but the boys knew they were better off with me an' the Kid. But back t'followin' orders - - folks who don't know any better'll figure it don't take anything for a bunch of outlaws t'rob a train, or a bank, but a successful robbery takes plannin' down t'the last detail an' everyone in the gang has a vital part t'play, an' if one of 'em figures he don't need t'follow orders, well, then at the very least the job doesn't go as smoothly with one of the others havin' t'pull the slacker's weight, or at the worst end some of us, or all of us, get killed or captured! So rules are vital, so's followin' 'em. Oh, the fellas'd chafe against 'em sometimes, but deep down they knew what I asked for was best for all of us."

"Huh!" Sam said. "Who'd ever thought outlawing would be such hard work!"

"Yeah, we sure don't get the credit we deserve!" Curry snorted.

"Don't guess we ever will, Kid," Heyes agreed.

"Doesn't the fact that you have such high bounties on your heads mean they give you some kind of credit?" Sam queried curiously as he removed the pan of biscuits from the coals.

"It means they know we're _good_ at what we do, but they'll never understand _why_ we're so good at what we do – or, rather, what we _did_! It's just a small matter of professional pride."

"I wouldn't call your pride a _small_ matter, Heyes!" Curry grinned as his partner shot him a dirty look. "That ain't t'say it ain't justified!"

Sam's announcement that the pheasants were ready to be eaten put an end to the conversation as each man concentrated on devouring the succulent birds and fresh biscuits.

Replete, the three men relaxed, savoring a final cup of coffee before rolling out their bedrolls. Curry sighed in contentment. "Sam, not only do you have a fine touch with the horses, but also a fine hand with cooking! You'll make some woman a fine husband some day!"

Heyes laughed, "Yeah, especially if _she_ can't cook!"

"You're both assuming that I'll find a woman to marry," Sam put in, his rusty moustache lifting with his smile.

"Of course you will, Sam! Why you're a decent lookin' fella! I'm bettin' the unmarried ladies of Coldwater'll be all over you!" Curry said bracingly.

"If that red caterpillar there on your lip don't scare 'em away!" Heyes snorted.

"_Some_ women find facial hair attractive, Heyes!" the wrangler retorted. "They consider it a sign of virility!"

"Hah! _Now_ you're just dreamin'!"

"You'll see!"

"Oh, so you _are_ gonna find a girl!"

"It's not beyond the realm of possibility - - especially with a steady job so I'll have something to offer," Sam defended himself.

"Slick, Heyes," Curry nodded in approval, an appreciative smile on his face.

"All a matter of playin' on a man's pride," the dark outlaw replied.

"What're you two talking about?"

"A few minutes ago you weren't too sure you'd find a girl t'marry, now, after a few twists of Heyes' silver tongue, you're sure you _will_!" Curry explained.

"You were deliberately _manipulating_ me?" the wrangler exclaimed.

Heyes grinned and shrugged.

"You're a dangerous man, Hannibal Heyes!" Sam declared.

"Now you're _really_ getting' the picture!" Curry laughed.

Though it was still fairly early, they wanted to get an early start in the morning, so they banked the fire and settled onto their bedrolls. Soon only the crickets and an occasional soft snore broke the quiet of the night.

Heyes could barely contain his eagerness to be on the road when they woke the next morning. Anyone who didn't know him well wouldn't have noticed any difference, but Kid Curry, who knew his best friend as well as he knew himself, could recognize the signs. He knew Heyes would gladly have sacrificed breakfast, drinking only a quick cup of coffee, but didn't since he knew that his two companions needed their breakfasts, turning his nervous energy instead on preparing the horses while the bacon fried.

Sam had made extra biscuits the night before to save morning cooking time and these were now used to make bacon sandwiches. Heyes took his without comment, along with a cup of coffee, and ate it standing up leaning against one of the large boulders, eyes on the road ahead. Curry sighed inwardly, but refrained from saying anything, eating his breakfast more enthusiastically. Sam had traveled with the two long enough to take morning moods in stride and followed their lead. All in all it was a silent and quickly eaten meal.

As soon as the fire was put out and the frying pan and coffee pot cleaned and stowed, along with each man's bedroll, they claimed their string of horses and mounted up. Heyes led them off at a slow jog to warm the horses' muscles and then kicked his horse into a ground-eating canter.

After they had covered several miles at this pace, Heyes slowed them to a walk, allowing the other two riders to come up alongside him. Curry glanced at his partner and wasn't surprised to see that the sparkle had returned to his eyes now that they were on the move. He exchanged an understanding look with the other man, his own blue eyes reflecting the same eagerness he saw in the brown ones.

The once overgrown, nearly invisible track into the mountains had now been beaten and worn into a veritable road by the caravans of wagons that had made the trek over the course of the summer, hauling load after load of building materials, then furniture, and household necessities.

"Might as well put up a sign post!" Curry grunted.

Heyes shrugged. "It was bound to happen, Kid, but nobody needs to know it leads to _us_."

"I guess you're right, Heyes," the gunslinger acknowledged grudgingly.

They continued up the track and by mid-afternoon had reached the top of the pass. Blue sky seemed to stretch out forever in front of them and the sun shone, but the cold wind blew dead leaves around the horses' hooves and warned of the imminent onset of winter.

Heyes barely felt the cold, though, as he gazed down into the valley, his heart thudding against his ribs at the long awaited sight. From this distance he could make out the cluster of buildings that had been built but few details, though the column of smoke rising into the air from what to be the ranch house was a welcome sight. "It looks like the girls are expecting us, Kid," he commented.

"Well, you did telegraph them with an approximate date, Heyes, an' we almost hit it exactly on the nose!" Curry replied.

"Yeah, but I hardly dared hope they'd be here to meet us!"

"Wouldn't you if you was them? I know I would."

"Most likely, Kid." Heyes turned to Sam. "So what do you think, Sam?"

"It's breathtaking from up here, Heyes!" the wrangler breathed.

"It's not too bad from down there, either, so let's get going before I freeze to death!" Curry exclaimed.

Heyes chuckled and, need no further encouragement, nudged his horse forward on the downhill slope, his spirit soaring as if suddenly freed from a cage, winging its way home.

7


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The lush green meadow grasses of the summer were now dry and brown, their seeds having dropped to the fertile ground to lie dormant until the warm sun of spring woke them. The valley was sheltered from the full force of the wind, but there was enough to rattle through the dried stalks that bowed their heads away from the three riders with their small herd who rode the hard-packed dirt track.

At last they reined in in front of the house and outbuildings that had gradually grown larger the closer they had ridden and, although they had both seen the plans, its solid reality had both Heyes and Curry staring in awe.

"Is that _ours_, Heyes?" Curry gasped.

"Uh-huh," was all the glib outlaw leader could find to say.

"It's a mansion!"

"Sure puts the leader's cabin in Devil's Hold t'shame, don't it?"

"You can sure say _that_ again!"

The ranch house was built with squared off logs, the un-weathered wood still a natural pale cream color. A covered porch ran its entire length, sheltering the entryway. Above its one story roof, and back some, rose a second story roof with two leaded glass windows looking out onto the road and the pass. Two chimneys of Rocky Mountain granite and river stones rose above the peaked roofs, welcoming smoke rising from them both, then feathering away in the wind.

To the right of the house, almost an extension, though separate, was a smaller, one story building - - the bunkhouse they guessed. At right angles to the house, and to their direct right was the barn and a small pole and rail corral.

Their study of the ranch layout was abruptly broken by the enthusiastic crash of the front door as it hit the wall at its furthest limit and a voice yelling, "Joshua!" followed by "Mary, they're here!"

Heyes leaped from his horse as the owner of the voice fairly flew off the porch, across the empty space between them, and into his open arms. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as he swung her off her feet and around in a circle. Her warm presence in his arms after so many months took his breath away. "Brigitte, Brigitte, Brigitte," he murmured in her ear as he breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. Her face was buried against his neck and he felt a suspicious trickle of liquid down into his collar. He set her back down on her feet and loosened her arms enough so that he could gently push her away enough to see her face. Tears trickled from the emerald eyes more precious to him that the gems, across the beloved freckles, and down her sun-kissed cheeks to pass by the corner of lips that quivered in a trembling smile. He rubbed a tear away with a gloved thumb. "Is this anyway to greet me?" he teased gently.

"I know, it's such a stupid, girlie thing to do!" she sniffed, removed one hand so she could dash them away. "I'm just so happy to see you!"

"No more than I am to see _you_," he replied and then cut off anything else she would have said by tilting up her chin and claiming with his own the lips that had haunted his dreams for so many months. A fire ignited in his veins, banishing the wind's chill, and his arms tightened around her so that he could feel her body down the full length of his own, melting against him, her heart beating rapidly in time with his.

Curry cleared his throat and said, "Uh, Heyes, maybe we oughta get the horses settled."

Startled, Brigitte broke away, her cheeks flaming. Heyes flashed a dimpled grin, unrepentant. "Forgive my bad manners," she said, brushing several escaped strands of red hair away from her face. "Welcome home, Thaddeus. Mary's tending supper - - she'll be out momentarily." She looked over at the third rider, extending her hand up, "And you must be Sam! Welcome, I'm Brigitte O'Reilly!"

Sam took the proffered hand and leaned over to kiss it gallantly, his moustache tickling her skin, and seemingly oblivious to Heyes' glower. "It's a genuine pleasure, ma'am - - I've heard a great deal about you!"

"Well, 'tis sure I am that you'll be finding every word of it to be true!" the girl replied tartly. "And my name is Brigitte, _not_ ma'am!"

"Yes, ma'am - - I mean, Brigitte!" Sam hastened to correct his slip.

"Shall I show you where to put the horses, Joshua/"

"Lead the way, Brigitte!"

Light footsteps on the porch drew Curry's attention and his heart leapt to see dark haired Mary standing demurely on the step, a sweet smile on her lips. "Uh, Heyes," he began before stumbling to silence.

Heyes followed his line of sight and quirked an eyebrow. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

"But the horses . . ." the gunslinger said, obviously torn.

Brigitte took pity on him and said, "Go on, Thaddeus, _I'll_ take care of your horses!"

"Thanks, Brigitte!" Curry exclaimed and handed her the lead rope as he jumped to the ground. His long strides covered the ground in record time and he soon had her in a tender embrace.

See that Heyes seemed inclined to stand and watch his partner, Brigitte tugged on his arm saying, "Come on, Joshua, let's give them some privacy."

"_Privacy?_ Thaddeus ain't bashful!" Heyes snorted.

"No, but Mary is a _proper_ lady, unlike me!"

"Oh, right, sorry, I wasn't thinkin' for a minute there!"

"That's not like you, Joshua," the redhead teased.

"Put it down t'seein' _you_ again, Brigitte!" he growled, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close again.

"Still with the blarney, me bucko!" She laughed, but didn't pull away. "You're forgettin' we have our own audience!"

"Yes, but _we're_ not bashful!"

"True, but what must poor Sam be feelin' way up there on his horse without a lassie to welcome him home?"

"Don't worry about me, Brigitte," the wrangler replied. "After what they've gone through, it's good to see Joshua and Thaddeus happy!"

"What they've gone through? And just _what_ have they gone through?" Brigitte demanded, pulling away to bend a serious look on the man holding her.

"There'll be time to tell you all about our travels, Brigitte, but we'd better get these poor beasts fed and watered!"

"Ah, so _now_ you're worried about the poor beasties! Well, don't think for one minute that I'm goin' t'forget there's a story to be told!" she scolded.

"Thanks, Sam!" Heyes said wryly.

The wrangler shrugged an abashed apology.

Brigitte led them around the back of the barn where a good-sized portion of the meadow had been fenced as a paddock. She released the gate latch and led her string of horses inside; Heyes and Sam followed with theirs. "I reckon you'll want to keep your personal horses in the barn, but this will be good for the rest of the stock. There's plenty of grazing along with a water trough and salt lick at both ends," she explained.

"This will be wonderful for them, Brigitte!" Sam exclaimed. "It's big enough for the mustangs to run without feeling too fenced in. I think we ought to put Red in the barn, too, don't you, Joshua?"

"Good idea, Sam, he's much too valuable to leave loose in the elements," Heyes agreed.

"Let me see if I can guess which one is Red," Brigitte said. The horses were all dusty from the trail and shaggy with their winter coats, but the girl examined each horse in all three strings, giving each one an affectionate pat even if it was obviously not a red horse. After looking at them all she came back to Sam's string and went unerringly up to the quarter horse stallion. "_This_ is Red!" she stated firmly.

"You're right, Brigitte!"

She continued to examine the blood bay colt from head to tail. "Pure blooded quarter horse, I'd say, maybe three years old," she determined.

"You've got an excellent eye for horses, Brigitte," Sam said admiringly.

"Well, they're one of my passions. He looks like a fine animal - - I'll look forward to seeing him without his winter coat. He must have cost a pretty penny."

"Nothin' we couldn't afford, Brigitte," Heyes put in. "Although buying him was gamble since he's unproven at stud. Sam is confident, though, that he's sire great foals."

"Oh, he is, is he? And what makes you so confident, Sam?" Brigitte asked pertly.

"Maybe that's another story we can save until later, Brigitte, because I, personally, would like to get out of this cold wind and so should _you_ since you're not wearing a jacket at all. What were you thinking comin' out into the cold like that?" Heyes scolded.

"Well, I guess I wasn't thinking for a minute there, either!" she retorted teasingly.

They made short work of releasing the mustangs into the paddock, all of which took advantage, once they realized they were free, and galloped joyously away.

"Wild mustangs?" Brigitte queried.

"Yeah, well, they used to be, but they've gotten more manageable since we've been on the trail."

"Wait 'til you see _our_ wild herd!"

"I can't wait - - Joshua and Thaddeus used them as a lure to get me here!"

"Well, I hope you don't regret it!"

"I'm pretty sure I won't," Sam replied with a grin. "It's got to be better than prison, or getting shot!"

"All right, now I'm _seriously_ intrigued!" Brigitte exclaimed. "Let's get these horses bedded down so I can hear all these stories you two keep hinting at! Besides, supper's almost done and Mary'll have our hides if we're late and it gets cold!" She latched the gate behind the mustangs and the three of them led the four remaining horses into the barn.

The barn consisted of a tack room, eight stalls, and a loft to store hay. Each of the stalls was strewn with fresh straw in readiness for a four-legged occupant.

Saddles were quickly stripped off the riding horses and placed neatly in the tack room. Each horse was given a quick, but efficient brushing and then led into a stall. Sam scrambled up the ladder and forked down hay for their dinners, while Heyes and Bridget took buckets to the well to get them water.

"I notice, besides a jacket, you're not wearin' your sixgun, Bridget," Heyes commented as they placed a bucket in each stall.

"No, I was working in the house and Mary kept complaining that it was banging up the furniture, so I took it off. Why?"

"I think, if you and Mary are here when we aren't, you should wear it when you're outside the house. You should keep a loaded shotgun by the front door, too." Heyes said seriously.

"Are you expecting trouble, Joshua/"

"Kid an' me _always_ expect trouble, Bridget - - that's how we've stayed alive so long! We don't want any of that trouble spillin' over on to you two, though! I'm tellin' you this out here so's not to upset Mary - - be sure you know who's at the door before welcomin' strangers, okay? Will you do that?" Heyes had gripped her arms tightly and his eyes, which had become almost black, bore into her green ones.

She returned his look fearlessly, not knowing how many men stronger than she had backed away from Heyes when he'd worn a similar look. "Sure, Joshua, whatever you say!"

He expelled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and pulled her into his embrace. "Good!" he murmured. "That's good, because I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you - - or Mary!"

"_Heyes_ . . ." she blurted and then covered her mouth with her hand while looking around for Sam.

"It's okay, Bridget, Sam knows who we really are."

"Really? And he still came to work for you? I can see there's stories to fill every night of the winter!"

"You can say that again, Bridget!" said that self-same wrangler popping into sight inside Red's stall. "Two weeks on the trail with them and I feel like I've only scratched the surface of the stories they can tell!"

"You always eavesdrop on folks like that, Sam?" Bridget asked tartly.

"Begging your pardon, Bridget, but I wasn't eavesdropping! I was checking Red's hoof for a stone since he seemed to be favoring it. You both knew I was here _somewhere_!" Sam said in his defense.

"Relax, Bridget!" Heyes soothed, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "You can trust Sam."

"I'm sorry, you just got me all wound up with your warning, I suppose!" the redhead apologized.

"Are we through here?" At the others' nods, Heyes continued, "Well let's go get warmed up and have some supper! Besides, we've left Kid and Mary alone _much_ too long for their own good!"

Heyes held out his arm and Bridget linked her arm through it, then she grabbed the sleeve of Sam's coat and pulled him close enough that she could put her other arm through his and in this way they crossed from the barn to the porch of the house.

Bridget released the two men and went to open the door for them, but before she did she warned, "It's not fully furnished yet - - we have some things still on order."

"Don't worry, Bridget, I'm in such awe at what I've seen from the outside that I'm sure nothing on the inside can disappoint me!" Heyes assured her.

She opened the door and stepped aside so that Heyes could enter first. He took three steps inside and stopped stick still, his mouth open.

Directly in front of the door, but across the room, was a magnificent stairway of hand-rubbed dark-stained oak leading to the second story rooms. It was wide enough for two people to climb at the same time and a matching handrail went up both sides, curving to the right and left when it reached the second floor landing.

To the left of the main door was the living room - - its focal point the granite fireplace that boasted a merrily blazing fire, a sturdy mantel above it held only a handsome clock. A leather sofa was centered in front of it, two matching leather easy chairs with footstools to either side. A bear rug covered the wood floor. A window to the side was currently shuttered tight to keep the drafts out. Hung above, but not lit, was a chandelier made of a wagon wheel, a lamp at each spoke.

To the right of the door was what would probably be the dining room, but which boasted no furniture, only a braided rug, and its window was also shuttered.

"Well, what do you think?" Bridget asked almost hesitantly. "The dining table and chairs havent' arrived yet, but there _is_ a table in the kitchen so you won't have to eat standing up! 

"This is incredible, Bridget!" Heyes exclaimed. "You've done all this on what money we sent you?"

"Uh-huh, and there's a lot more, but we can save the grand tour until after supper!" She tugged his arm and led him and the wrangler through the dining room and then through a swinging door that led into the warm, bright kitchen, which is where they found the Kid and Mary.

The wooden walls of this room had been painted white which gave it a feeling of lightness. The drop-leaf table, at which Curry was sitting, was made of light pine and above it hung a shiny brass chandelier. Mary was putting the finishing touches on supper at a very modern-looking square wood-burning stove. It stood on a brick hearth to keep it level, but the rest of the stove enclosure, including the chimney, was again the granite and river rock. A metal frame with hooks had been constructed above the stove from which depended various pots and pans and tools. On the opposite side of the room from the stove was a built-in pantry, the doors of which were of glass framed by wood. There was a door in every wall of the kitchen, which gave Heyes pause, the only two he knew the destinations to was the one he had entered and the one in the same wall as the stove because it was a Dutch door, the upper half of which was divided into quarters and each of these quarters were filled with a pane of glass. Lacy curtains were drawn back at the moment to let in what light there still was outside.

Heyes whistled in amazement. "I haven't seen a kitchen like this since I was a kid in my Mother's kitchen and she sure didn't have a stove as nice as that one!"

"Can I take that to mean that you approve?" Bridget asked with an arched brow.

"I'll say!"

"Well, if you're done 'oooohin' an' ahhhhin', maybe we could eat!" Curry growled playfully.

"No need t'get proddy, Kid! I reckon you'd best feed him, Mary, before he bites all our heads off!" Heyes teased back while holding Bridget's chair as she sat.

"Has he had too much of your cooking, Joshua?" Bridget inquired.

"Up until about two weeks ago when Sam here took over the chore! Sam's a fair hand with campfire cookin'," the dark outlaw said, clapping the wrangler on the shoulder.

"Really?"

"Well, no one's died of my cooking yet, Bridget," Sam replied modestly. "I've been assured, though, that it doesn't hold a candle to Mary's! I must admit I'm ready to eat someone's cooking besides mine!"

"I'm not sure my cooking can live up to your expectations, Sam, but it will be hot and filling," Mary put in with equal modesty. "I've prepared chicken with mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, buttermilk biscuits, and the last of the corn from my garden."

"Sweet lady, if it tastes a fraction as good as it smells, I'll think I've died and gone to Heaven!" the wrangler exclaimed extravagantly causing the young cook to blush.

"Don't listen t'him!" Curry growled. "He's as wordy as Heyes!"

"With an appetite to rival Kid's!" Heyes put in. "I hope the larder is well-stocked or we'll starve if we get snowed in this winter!"

"I've put in enough supplies to feed _four_ Kid-sized appetites," Bridget said. "So I doubt you'll need to worry about starving!"

"I'd say you're wrong there, Bridget, cuz _I'm_ starvin' _now_! Can someone please pass the chicken?" Curry pleaded piteously.

The five companions laughed and dug into the delicious meal.

"So, Sam, how did you meet Joshua and Thaddeus?" Bridget asked after the edge had been taken off their appetites.

"Well, I was in a bit of trouble in Coleville and they were supposed to arrest me!" Sam replied. "Instead they just gave me a warning, which I completely ignored, of course! Later, after Mr. Cole had his boys beat me up and turn me in, they took care of me, offered me a job, and convinced Mr. Cole to drop the charges if I took it."

"Rather an unusual method of enforcing the law, wasn't it, Joshua? But then, what else would one expect having outlaws as lawmen!" Bridget said with a smile.

"Hey, we were _good_ sheriffs, weren't we, Thaddeus?" Heyes retorted indignantly.

"We sure were! It wasn't _our_ fault everything that _could_ go wrong happened while we were there!" Curry replied in their defense.

"What happened?" Mary asked curiously. "The telegraph Bridget showed me said it was going to be an easy job."

"Because that's what _Lom_ told _us_!" Heyes explained. "But it didn't work out quite like that."

"So what _happened_?" Bridget demanded.

"You really don't wanna hear all the boring details, do you?" the former outlaw leader hedged.

"Somehow I doubt there _are_ any boring details considering who it involves! So out with it boyos!"

The two outlaws exchanged chagrined looks. "You tell it, Heyes, you've got the silver tongue! May I have more chicken and mashed potatoes before he starts, though?" Curry said.

"Of course, Thaddeus," Mary replied, passing him the plate of chicken, followed by the bowl of mashed potatoes.

Heyes shook his head and sighed. "Well, it started out easy enough, the only thing that seemed wrong in Coleville was this little orphan boy, Jimmy, livin' in the stable an' not goin' t'school," he began.

"Heyes practically adopted 'im!" Curry said around a mouthful of food.

"Am I tellin' this story, Kid?" Curry gestured that he should continue and Heyes went on, "It took a little sweet talkin' . . . "

"Bullyin'," Curry corrected.

"But I convinced the schoolmarm t'take 'im into her class. Then Mr. Cole came in all up in arms over Sam here, so we rode out to have a chat with 'im. Then we had to arrest the pastor's wife for bustin' up the saloon . . ."

"She nearly gutted Heyes with her hatchet!"

"_Kid,_" Heyes growled as the girls gasped.

"But you're missin' all the good parts!" Curry protested.

"I was thinkin' the girls might not consider them the good parts!"

"Don't you go soft-pedalin' the story, Joshua!" Bridget scolded.

Heyes sighed again. "She missed me, didn't she?"

"Why ever would she want to destroy the saloon?" Mary wanted to know.

"She was the leader of the Ladies Temperance Society of Colevill, although it turned out she was mostly angry and upset because her father and brother died from drinkin'."

"We can understand that, can't we, Mary, what with Da and all?"

"Yes, but fortunately Father's given up the drink," Mary replied. "So what happened to her?"

"The saloon keeper agreed t'not press charges if she paid for the repairs."

"That was kind of him," the dark girl commented.

"Not really," Heyes disagreed. "Turns out he was afraid of getting' involved with the law since he'd killed a man back in his country as a young man!"

"My goodness!" Mary exclaimed.

"We assured him Sweden was out of our jurisdiction and he felt much better."

Bridget laughed. "It sounds like some kind of town! I wish I could've been there!"

"You ain't heard the half of it yet, Bridget," Curry assured her.

Heyes rolled his eyes at his partner's unhelpful enthusiasm. "Not much else happened except for the livery stable burnin' down - - luckily it didn't spread to any other buildings in the town."

"Don't forget how you were a hero, Heyes, rescuin' Jimmy like you did!"

"How 'bout for pullin' _your_ fat outta the fire, too, Kid!" Heyes snapped in aggravation.

"Who you callin' fat?" Curry retorted.

"It's just an expression, Kid."

"Wait a minute, wait _just_ a minute!" Mary exclaimed. "Just _why_ did Joshua have to pull you out of the fire, Thaddeus?"

"Well, um, see, uh . . ." Curry shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Kid went in to free the horses an' one kicked 'im in the head by way of thanks!" Heyes smiled maliciously at his partner's discomfort.

"So Heyes gets himself all wet and runs in after Kid even though the roof is about to fall in!" Sam inserted. "Got him almost out before the smoke got to him. The townsfolk pulled them out the rest of the way just in the nick of time!"

Now both ex-outlaws looked uncomfortable while the girls paled in horror. Bridget recovered first. "Well," she said briskly. "You both survived obviously since you're here!"

"Kid had a pretty nasty concussion, but you know he's got a real hard head - - in more ways that one! 

"Yeah, I was seein' _two_ Heyeses! Can you imagine how awful that was?"

"You poor thing," Mary laughed, patting his hand. "But are you _sure_ you're all right?"

"I'm fine, Mary - - not even any headaches anymore," he assured her with a tender smile.

"Surely nothing more could have happened after that?" Mary asked.

"Oh, no, the best is yet to come!" the gunslinger exclaimed, picking up the story. "While I was laid up this really bad man rode into town - - a cold-blooded killer, who could recognize us! Heyes tried to convince 'im t'leave town, but he had a bone t'pick with me an' knew I had t'be around somewhere so he decides t'wait. Heyes knew I wasn't up to a showdown, an' wouldn't be for some time, so he calls the fella out! Jimmy comes runnin' t'tell me cuz he'd heard me say Heyes wasn't no good with a gun, but I was too weak an' dizzy t'get out there in time! They were dead even on the draw, but Heyes shot true and his sideways twist kept 'im from bein' killed himself, although he _did_ get ventilated! Seems he forgot that _I'm_ the gunslinger in this partnership!"

Bridget's eyes had narrowed as Curry told the story and darkened to a deep forest green. Watching her reaction, Heyes was sure she was going to berate him and she didn't disappoint. "So _that's_ the thanks I get, is it, for diggin' two bullets out of your sorry hide? Well, let me tell you, boyo, I didn't save your life so you could go and throw it away again! Sometimes I wonder why the good Lord wasted perfectly good clay on the likes of men, who seem to have nothin' better to do than go about shootin' at each other!" she scolded tartly.

Heyes had the good sense to look slightly sheepish, while Curry tried to hide a grin, and Sam looked ready to run. Mary stepped in when no one else seemed inclined to speak. "Honestly, Bridget, you tongue could scrape the flesh off the poor man's bones! I'm sure he didn't go out intending to get shot just to spite you! You heard Thaddeus say Joshua tried every peaceful way first."

"So I did, but that doesn't change the fact that he could've been killed an' me not there to dig out the bullet!"

"No bullet t'dig out, Bridget - - it went straight through - - a flesh wound," Heyes assured her.

"Still y'could've bled t'death! Don't try to appease me, boyo! I'll be wantin' t'check later that it's healed proper," she finished, still glowering.

"It's perfectly healed, Bridget," Heyes protested.

"_I'll_ be the just of that, thank you very much! Probably treated by some quack!" the redhead snorted with a toss of her heavy braid.

"Dr. Milburn was a good doctor, wasn't he, Thaddeus? Sam?" Heyes looked for support from his companions.

"Very competent, Bridget, or we three wouldn't be here now," Sam asserted.

"Well, I'll be the judge of that and I'll hear no more arguments from _you_, Joshua!" She glowered fiercely at the dark outlaw.

"If you insist, Bridget," Heyes sighed dramatically. "Be sure I'll save any future bullet diggin' to your tender mercies!"

"See that you do," she huffed. "Better yet, how about avoiding the need in the future?"

"Oh, we _always_ try, Bridget," Curry put in in their defense.

"Try harder from now on!"

"Would you like to check it now?" Heyes asked with a twinkle in his eye and began to unbutton his shirt right there at the table.

"Is anyone ready for dessert?" Mary asked in an abrupt attempt to turn the conversation to more appropriate channels. "I have apple pie fresh from the oven."

"I've always got room for apple pie," Curry announced.

"Me, too," Sam agreed.

"I'll take a piece, too," Heyes said, rebuttoning his shirt button. "Do you have anymore coffee?'

"Of course. Bridget, can you help me clear the dishes?"

In mere moments, the table was cleared off and the pie was served along with refills on coffee.

"Mmmmm, this pie is heavenly, Mary!" Sam sighed in pleasure and was echoed by the other two.

"Thank you, gentlemen."

"So, Bridget, what's been happenin' here while we've been gone?" Heyes queried, happy to turn the conversation in another direction.

"Nothing's new in Coldwater except Da found a young doctor interested in being groomed to take over when Da retires. Right now he does any necessary surgeries and assists in other procedures. He's quite a good surgeon."

"Not as pretty as _my_ surgeon, though," Heyes leered playfully.

"There y'go with the blarney again!" Bridet returned equally playfully, but the blush that suffused her cheeks showed her pleasure in the compliment.

"He's actually quite attractive," Mary put in. "And quite cultured, too. All the single ladies of Coldwater are aflutter as he walks by."

"_All_ single ladies?" Curry growled.

"Bridget and I are promised to you and Joshua, Thaddeus, therefore we are technically no longer single ladies," the dark girl replied archly.

"Seems your new doctor has been save by a technicality," Heyes said with a grin, earning himself a dark look from the gunslinger. "But if you two are up here, who's down there takin' care of Sean an' your father?"

"The Widow McDaniel has graciously agreed to come in and keep house while we've been busy getting the ranch ready. The dour Scot and the Devil-may-care Irishman have already locked horns a couple of times - - I sense romance in the air!" Bridget said in a laughingly secretive whisper.

"Mrs. McDaniel has barely been widowed a year, Bridget, I seriously doubt she's interested in forming another attachment," Mary chided.

"Formal mourning is over, she's free to start looking around if she pleases," the other girl retorted. "I think she'll have Da roped and hog-tied in no time!" To the others she said, "Da's never once looked at another woman since Mother died; I think a little romance would be good for him. You have to admit, Mary, the man needs someone to look after him."

"Yes, it seems so," Mary agreed.

"If you're finished, how about the grand tour of the rest of the house?" Bridget suggested.

"That'd be great, though you can hardly impress me more than I already am!" Heyes said.

"You just wait and see. You coming, Mary?"

"No, I'll do the washing up and meet you in the living room after you've finished the tour." Curry, who had gotten up eagerly, now looked torn between conflicting desires. Mary laughed. "Go on with you, Thaddeus! I'll get the work done much faster without your distractions!"

Bridget took Heyes' elbow and tugged, but he held back. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"First satisfy my curiosity about all these doors - - two are obvious, but where do the other two lead?" Heyes responded.

"One, the one across from the outside door, goes out into the hallway that leads to the storage rooms, and the other down into the cellar, which also has a disguised exit at the back of the house - - for emergencies," the redhead explained with a knowing lift to her eyebrows.

"Ah," the former outlaw said. "Good planning."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet," the girl grinned, tugging again at his elbow and this time he followed willingly, Curry and Sam close behind.

As they passed through the dining room again, she said, "The table and chairs are supposed to be delivered by the end of next week - - barring heavy snowfall."

She led them up the stairs and paused on the wide landing. They face a wall from which hung a colorful Indian blanket and on either side a hallway led to the back of the house. "There is a wing of the house for each of you. Each wing has three rooms, one, obviously a bedroom, and the other two can be furnished however you like. While we've been here, Mary and I have been staying in the right wing so how about we take the left one - - they're both exactly the same any way."

"Lead the way, Bridget."

The first room she showed them was sparsely furnished, holding only a desk and chair and a narrow bed. Built in shelves lined one wall and a fireplace took much of another. The next room was larger and contained a large brass bed made up with a colorful patchwork quilt. There was a handsome wardrobe against one wall, a vanity with mirror held a ewer and basin for shaving, and, of course, the ubiquitous fireplace. The third room was furnished with another narrow bed and a mirrored stand with ewer and basin. "The bed in the first room and this one are only temporary so all three of you will have a place to sleep while Mary and I are here. Mary thought a separate wing for the men and women would at least give the _appearance_ of propriety should anyone find out we were up here alone with single men!"

"Very nice, Bridget," Heyes commented approvingly. "You and Mary have done a wonderful job."

"Thank you, Joshua, I'm glad you like it. We've left the finishing touches for you and Thaddeus so you can make them truly your own. There are some special touches I put in with just you two in mind," Bridget said secretively. "Shall I show you, or would you like to discover them yourselves?"

"By all means, show us."

She opened the roomy wardrobe and stepped inside. "Come closer," she told the perplexed trio of men. When they were close enough she fiddled with the back wall of the piece of furniture and a door opened into the third empty room.

Heyes whistled his surprise and stepped in and through the wardrobe. He shut the door and examined the wall closely. He ran his hand lightly up the wooden panels and then back down again. As his hand began its journey up again, a slow smile lit the outlaw's face and with firm pressure on a certain spot, sprang the hidden door open again and stepped back through the wardrobe. "Nicely done!" he approved admiringly. "It's completely invisible on the other side!"

"That's not all," she said, and reached up and tugged a short cord that hung above their heads, bringing down a trap door to which was attached a ladder. "This leads up into a crawl space between this ceiling and the attic, which leads to another hidden passageway from which you can reach the other wing, the back door, or you could come out on the stairway landing. Under the bed in the other wing is a trap door down into the cellar and the exits from there. A section of the bookshelves in the first room also opens to let a person into this room, so no one can trap you in this house unless you choose to stay."

"Simply incredible, Bridget!" Heyes exclaimed. "These weren't on the original plans you showed me."

"No, but as the construction moved along I tried to think what additions two reformed outlaws, who haven't yet received their amnesties, might find convenient. The actual execution of the ideas was a bit difficult, but not by much."

"If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say there's a hidden door behind the Indian blanket on the landing, correct?'

"That's right. Of course, once you've gotten your amnesties, these will all be unnecessary, but until then I hope you never have to use them."

"So do we. Bridget, but thank you just the same!" Heyes tilted her chin up and gazed deeply into her eyes before giving her a gentle kiss. "You may have just saved my - - our lives again."

"I'm saving mine along with yours," she whispered huskily.

Curry cleared his throat. "May I add my own thanks?" he said when the other two broke apart. He drew the slim girl into an enthusiastic hug. "I'm thinkin' Heyes here has some competition in the genius line, Bridget."

"It's nothing he wouldn't have thought up himself had he been here," she replied modestly.

"Maybe, but I'm not so sure he wouldn't be more likely t'just climb out a window if there was need," the gunslinger joked.

"If that's all there was, sure," Heyes agreed. "But now there are other options. Do you have any other surprises for us?"

"Well, if you come down to the living room, I've got cigars and a bottle of Da's favorite whiskey."

"Bridget, you know the way to a man's heart!" Curry exclaimed.

"You keep your heart out of it, Kid, this one's _mine!_" Heyes growled and pulled the girl against him possessively.

"Just a figure of speech, Heyes," the Kid retorted and led the way back down the stairs.

Heyes, of course, had to stop briefly and check out the hidden door behind the Indian blanket before descending the stairs. "Well, Sam, haven't heard much out of you - - what do you think?" he asked as he lit a cigar and accepted a glass of whiskey, taking a seat in one of the chairs flanking the fire.

"That would be because I'm speechless with wonder, Joshua," the wrangler replied. "I don't know what I expected, but it certainly wasn't this mountain palace!"

"Now you're just exaggerating, Sam," Bridget responded.

"No, he's not, Bridget," Heyes replied. "_I_ saw your plans and even I'm astounded. I find it hard to believe this was all built on what the Kid and I sent you."

"Well, it's not only the Scots who can be stingy with a dollar! Many of the craftsmen gave us a good discount, or didn't charge at all, in return for the times Da treated them or their kind for free during hard times," she explained.

"They might have done it out of gratitude that someone came along to take Bridget off their hands," Mary put in as she joined them in the living room. "The sound of her practicing shooting was throwing their chickens off laying!"

"Now that's a terrible exaggeration, Mary! I'm sure everyone's quite used to it by now," Bridget protested, but looked a bit abashed.

"So, you've been practicin' then, Bridget," Curry remarked.

"Yes, and I'm much better even if I do say so myself! I may never be as fast as you, Thaddeus, but I'm hittin' everything I aim at."

"That's really more important than speed," the gunslinger assured her. "Less'n you've a mind t'go into the gunslingin' business."

"You know I haven't, but I like the challenge."

"Speakin' of gunslingers - - you haven't seen anything of Mick Calahan yet, have you?" Heyes interjected.

"No, nothing at all," Bridget replied. "You never said anything about him being a gunslinger, though."

"There's only so much a body can put in a telegraph, Bridget, an' _he_ is a _she_."

"_What?"_ Both girls gasped in disbelief.

"Yup. You heard of the Silver Kid?"

"Of course, it was big news even here in Colorado."

"Well, _that's_ Mick Calahan, an' she's a girl!"

"You mean 'woman', don't ya, Heyes?" Curry questioned. "She near bit your head off last time you call her a girl!"

"Oh, right, _woman_!"

"But the Silver Kid killed three men in shootouts!"

"Uh, four really, though nobody but me an' the Kid an' the rest of Potter's gang, know about the fourth one," Heyes corrected.

"I _think_ you'd better tell us the _whole_ story, Mr. Heyes," Bridget said sternly.

"Including why you'd think to send such a person here," Mary added.

"It's kind of a long story," the former outlaw leader hedged.

"Do you know any other kind, Joshua? Besides, it's still early, we've got time!"

"Fine," he sighed and began, holding up his empty glass for a refill.

Sam had already heard the story on the trail and leaned back to watch the girls' reactions as the tale unfolded. They sat enthralled, gasping at critical points, but letting Heyes speak uninterrupted. Even Curry let the tale unfold without any interjections.

"The only thing that ever broke through her single-minded obsession with killin' Potter an' her careless disregard of her own life was when she spoke about her horse an' so I thought offerin' her a partnership in our ranch here might just give her back her will to live," he said as the story ended. "I hoped, after she didn't end her own life, that the idea might sink an an' she'd come around. I guess I was wrong." Sorrow tinged his voice as he sighed and fell silent.

"How awful for her!" Mary exclaimed in pity.

"I hope she does show up so I can congratulate her!" Bridget exclaimed. "Although she shoulda gut shot the scum so they'd've suffered more before they died!"

"Bridget!" her sister exclaimed in horror.

"Well, after what they did to _her_ and her family, a quick death was too good for 'em!" the redhead defended herself.

"If she hasn't shown up by now, I don't know if she ever will," Heyes sighed again. "She might not even be alive still."

"Heyes feels like he failed her," Curry explained.

"What more could you have done, Joshua?" Mary asked.

"I don't know - - nothin', I guess, but that don't make me feel any better about her leavin' like that."

"She could still show up," Bridget said hopefully. "She'd sure liven the place up!"

"As if it isn't lively enough with you around, sister dear," the darker girl said with a smile to take any sting out of the words.

Curry yawned all of a sudden and said, "Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm beat! Heyes had us up an' ridin' at the crack of dawn an' a soft bed sounds mighty nice right now."

"For once, I agree with you, Kid," his partner said. "I think I can sleep easy tonight."

"You'll do no sleepin', boyo, until I've checked that so-called flesh wound of yours," Brigitte insisted.

"Ah, Brigitte," Heyes protested. "That was two weeks, or more, ago, it's all healed now!"

"I'll be havin' a look for myself," she repeated adamantly.

"Just let her look at it, Heyes," Curry sighed. "And don't be such a baby!"

"Fine!" he growled grudgingly. "You can take a look at it - - and I'm not a baby! Why don't you look at Kid's head?"

"I can see Kid's head just fine, but I can't see under your shirt. Besides, Mary is capable enough to check Kid's head. Now come on!" She stood and tugged on his hand until he stood.

"Where we goin'?"

"I wouldn't ask you to undress in front of _everyone_! We'll go upstairs."

"Do you think that's appropriate, Brigitte?" Mary asked skeptically.

"I'm only going to be checking his wound, Mary!"

"Fine, I've got a couple of things to finish in the kitchen and then I'll be up."

"I'm hurt that you don't trust me with your sister, Mary!" Heyes said seriously.

"Maybe it's _her_ I don't trust, Joshua!" the girl replied pertly. "Would you mind helping me for a moment, Thaddeus?"

"You don't need to ask twice, Mary," Curry replied enthusiastically.

"Well, if you two don't mind, I'll just follow you up," Sam said hesitantly to Heyes and Brigitte.

"Sure, grab your saddlebags and come on and get settled in!" Suiting action to words, Heyes picked up his and the Kid's saddlebags and allowed Brigitte to lead him once again up the staircase.

As the trio reached the landing, Sam paused hesitantly and asked, "Which room should I use?"

"Joshua's room is the main bedroom," Brigitte said. "So either of the other two would be fine."

"I'll take the furthest one down the hall then, thank you. Good night."

"Good night, Sam."

As Sam's door closed behind him, Brigitte led Heyes into the more sumptuous bedroom. "All right, Joshua, let me see."

"This really isn't necessary," he protested again, but began unbuttoning his shirt. He hung the garment on a bedpost and pulled the top of his white long johns off his shoulders so they hung, empty arms dangling, towards the floor.

The bullet had dug an eight-inch furrow from just below the former outlaw's sternum across his ribcage, which had now healed leaving behind a livid scarlet scar on his pale skin. Brigitte masked the lurch of her heart with the clinical frown of a medical practitioner. "That cut to the bone," she commented and stepped closer, running her hand gently across the scar. "Hmm, it was neatly stitched and has healed well, though. Do you have any residual pain?"

"Hmmm, what?" Heyes blurted, having not been paying attention to her words, but was instead savoring the delicious sensation her hand made as it crossed his ribcage.

"Any pain?" she repeated.

"No, just feels a little tight when I stretch my arm any which way."

"Well, that should get better with time." Her fingers came back to the beginning of the scar and lingered. "Had the bullet hit her here straight on you'd be dead."

"But it didn't, and I'm not," he assured her needlessly.

Her left hand lifted and her index finger lightly circled the older scar from the bullet she had removed not so many months before. Her green eyes lifted to his and he saw a tear slowly wending its way down her cheek. "That's twice I've nearly lost you, Joshua!"

"But you _didn't_ and I'm home now!" His strong hands caught hers and held them tightly against his heart.

More tears ran unashamed from her eyes as she whispered, "I was used to the idea of spending my life alone until you came along and now the mere thought of the empty years of my life without you in them is more than I can bear!"

"Then banish that thought from you mind, my beautiful Brigitte, because I'll do my best to never let that happen!" he whispered in return, his voice hoarse with emotion. "You know, though, I can't make guarantees."

"I know - - I've known from the beginning and I accepted whatever you could give, but I didn't know just how lonely I would be when you were gone!"

"I missed you, too, Brigitte, more than I thought I ever could!" His head dipped slightly and his lips captured hers in a tender kiss. Her hands slipped from his and twined around his neck, her slender body pressed tightly against his as his arms crushed her to him and the kiss deepened. He groaned as passion threatened to burn away all rational thought and he loosened her arms and gently pushed her away, though their lips still clung together.

"No, Joshua!" she protested against his lips.

"We've got to stop, Brigitte - - I'm not made of stone! We've your reputation to consider."

"I don't _care _about that!"

"But _I _do! I don't want people sayin' I just married you cuz I _had _to!"

"You want to _marry_ me?" she asked turning shining eyes up to his.

"Didn't I say that before I left?" he demanded.

"Your exact words were, 'would I wait for you and be only yours when you came back'!"

"What did you think I meant?"

"I didn't care - - only that you wanted me to be yours!"

"Of course I want to marry you and I can wait until then!"

"Well, boyo, you'd better not be plannin' on a long engagement, or I can't promise that _I_ can wait until then!" she said stepping back far enough that their bodies no longer touched.

"Can you wait until Spring?" he asked teasingly.

"I suppose so since you insist!"

He laughed light-heartedly. "I though the woman was supposed to be the one to insist on waiting!"

"Well, Joshua, you should know that _supposed to be's_ and Brigitte O'Reilly are two _very_ different things!" She tossed her head and smoothed a wild red tendril back from her face.

"Indeed I do, so I suggest we say good night now before I change my mind."

"Good night, Joshua," she whispered and kissed him once again, but lightly. "It's so very good to have you home!" Before he could reply she quickly left the room closing the door firmly behind her.

There was very little to do in the kitchen, which was apparent even to Curry's unschooled eyes. When he said as much to the girl, she said, "I thought we could give Brigitte and Joshua a few minutes of privacy."

"Are you sure you didn't just wanna get _me_ alone?" he leered playfully.

"I'm sure I don't know _what_ you're talking about!" she replied archly.

"No?" he asked softly, stepping closer. "You, me, the kitchen - - I can't think of a more romantic combination."

"Really? I've heard the moonlight mentioned occasionally."

"Well, there's plenty of that comin' in the window - - so sounds like we got it all."

"Do we?"

Curry gazed seriously into the blue eyes that twinkled up into his and said, "As long as we have each other." His hand gently smoothed a stray wisp of hair off her cheek and bent to claim her lips in a tender kiss. After a moment he released her mouth and pulled her into a strong embrace, whispering into her ear, "Oh, Mary, I can't tell you how much I've missed you! There were times these past months when I figured I'd never see you again an' the thought was like t've killed me!"

"I think the horse kick in the head would have done it faster, Thaddeus," she teased, but pulled back far enough that she could see the crescent scar that peeked out of his hair above his temple. She traced it lightly with a finger, frowning when he winced slightly. "There's still pain," she stated.

"It's just a little sensitive is all."

"You're hiding something from me, Thaddeus, I can feel you holding something back. You can tell me anything, you know, and I'll help you if I can," she told him earnestly.

"I'm fine, Mary, really - - it's just been a difficult few months is all an' nothin' that a little peace and quiet up here won't put straight right away. Nothin' that happened matters any now that you're in my arms again!"

His passionate kiss smothered anything else she would have said and she allowed his warm strength to reassure her, sweeping her vague feelings away so that her overwhelming love could take precedence. With a sigh she relaxed against him.

24


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

As per his habit, Heyes was up as the first hint of sun lit the horizon, but he wasn't early enough to beat Mary, who was already in the kitchen, up to her elbows in bread dough that she was busily kneading.

"Good morning, Joshua," she greeted brightly.

"Mornin', Mary, I didn't expect anyone else to be awake yet," the former outlaw replied.

"I'm used to getting up to feed the chickens and the early quiet hours are the perfect time to get the baking started before I need to cook breakfast. I thought you might sleep longer, though, after your long journey."

"No, I've never been one t'sleep late, to Kid's great unhappiness since then he hasta drink my coffee. Speakin' of coffee," he hinted hopefully.

The girl smiled and said, "There's a pot all ready there on the stove."

"I though you weren't a mind reader," Heyes said with a grin while picking up the pot and pouring himself a cup of the steaming brew. He took a sip, savoring the rich flavor, and sighed. "So maybe Kid has something about my coffee, cuz _this_ tastes like heaven t'me, made by the hand of an angel!"

Mary laughed. "Brigitte's right, you _have_ kissed the blarney stone!"

Heyes pretended to be offended. "I'll have you know that I would _never_ lie about anything as important as coffee! Now I'll just take this nectar of the gods out onto the porch where I can watch the sun rise - - Kid would never forgive me if I somehow delayed breakfast."

"Go on with you then, I'll call you when it's ready!"

Heyes raised his cup in salute and wandered through the living room and out onto the front porch. He leaned against the roof support post and watched the sun chase the shadows across the valley. The air was brisk, but the hot liquid helped chase the chill away and he was quite comfortable.

He was contemplating returning to the kitchen for a refill, having drained the cup to its dregs, but a pert rehead forestalled him by poking her head out the door and announcing, "Breakfast is on, Joshua."

"Is Kid up?"

"Yes, so's Sam, and they're waiting for you to come so Mary will serve breakfast!"

"Oh, well, I certainly don't wanna get on Kid's bad side by holdin' up breakfast!" Heyes snorted.

Mary had prepared a veritable feast for breakfast - - scrambled eggs, bacon, flapjacks, fried potatoes, biscuits, and plenty of hot coffee.

"You expectin' t'feed the whole Devil's Hole Gang, Mary?" Heyes queried.

Before the girl could answer, Curry intervened on her behalf. "I, for one," he said. "Plan on doin' this meal justice! So I'll thank you t'hurry up, Heyes, cuz Mary won't let us start until everyone's sittin'!"

"Sorry, Kid, thought you were still gettin' your beauty sleep," the former outlaw leader grinned as he took his seat.

"_You_ may not need sleep, or food, Heyes, but us normal folk _do_," Curry retorted as he spooned eggs onto his plate. He handed the plate to Sam and picked up the potatoes as he asked the two women, "Seen much of the mustangs lately? Only reason we could convince Sam here to come along was the promise of wild horses!"

"We've seen them quite a bit lately actually," Brigitte replied. "While the building was going on they pretty much kept their distance, but a couple of times I've seen Bandit at the far end of the paddock."

"Bandit?" Heyes' eyebrows lifted in inquiry.

"That's what we've been calling the stallion because he looks like such an outlaw with that black mask," Mary put in.

"I thought about calling him Hannibal Heyes, since he's the leader, but decided that would cause too much confusion when you got back?" the redhead teased.

"It doesn't really fit anyway," the former leader said. "_I_ never wore a mask - - Kid neither!"

"Why not? Don't most robbers wear masks?"

"Yeah, but we weren't ashamed so why hide our faces?"

"So people couldn't identify you! I thought that would be obvious!"

"Well, the law still don't have our pictures so it hasn't hurt us none."

"That ain't exactly true, Heyes," Curry interjected. "We've run into trouble more than once with people recognizin' us since we started tryin' for amnesty!"

"You got a point there, Kid," Heyes agreed. "When we were outlawin' we didn't spend as much time with law abidin' fold so as t'get recognized."

"How 'bout takin' a ride out t'look at 'em, Sam?" the gunslinger suggested.

"I'd like that," the wrangler replied.

"How 'bout you, Heyes?"

"Nah, I been ridin' so long I ain't in that much hurry t'saddle up again, Kid! Think I'll just wander around the ranch - - do some thinkin'."

"Suit yourself, Heyes," Curry shrugged. "How 'bout you, Mary? You wanna ride along?"

"I'd love to, Thaddeus!"

"Chances are you'll find them at the far end of the valley, Thaddeus," Brigitte informed him.

"Let's eat up then!" Curry exclaimed.

"I'll need to do the cleaning up before I can go, Thaddeus," the dark girls said, her face falling.

"Go on, Mary," Brigitte told her. "I'm sure I can handle the cleaning up without you."

Excitement brightened Mary's blue eyes. "Than you, Brigitte, I know how much you hate kitchen chores!"

"I'm sure it won't kill me this once," Brigitte replied wryly. She turned to Sam and asked, "Why are you so passionate about the mustangs, Sam?"

"They were one of the first things I fell in love with out here in the West, Brigitte," the wrangler explained. "To me, their wild beauty symbolizes the freedom that lured me here. When Mr. Cole began killing them I just couldn't work for him anymore, instead I worked against him, releasing the animals he'd trapped. That's why he wanted me arrested. Joshua and Thaddeus convinced me that the law was on Mr. Cole's side and that I was just going to end up dead or in prison if I kept it up."

"That's a bit ironic, isn't it - - Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry convincing someone he's breaking the law?"

"We _were_ Coleville's sheriffs at the time, Brigitte, so it was our job," Heyes put in in self-defense while managing to look embarrassed at the same time.

"Not to mention the fact that we're upright, law-abidin' citizens, Brigitte," Curry managed to say with a poker face.

The redhead laughed outright while Mary hid a smile behind her hand.

"You know, the mustangs are descendents of the horses the Spanish Conquistadores brought with them," Sam went on. "There weren't any horses here before then."

"How did the Indians get around then?" Mary wanted to know.

"Walked. It's said that when they first saw a horse they thought it was a very big dog!"

"No!" Brigitte exclaimed.

"Yup, that's what they say. Hard to believe, isn't it? In my, opinion, the mustangs are a national treasure and should be protected rather than killed off by greedy ranchers!"

"Maybe those with the power to do that will agree with you someday, Sam," Mary told him gently.

"I just hope there are some left to protect by then!"

"In the meantime, you can protect Bandit and his herd – that way there _will_ be some left."

"I hope you can spare some of that passion for building _our_ herd, Sam," Heyes said wryly.

"Won't be a problem, Joshua," the wrangler assured the other man.

"Are we ready to go then?" Curry asked, settling his fork down on his empty plate.

"I'm ready!" Sam agreed.

"I'll need a few minutes to change into riding clothes, Thaddeus," Mary said.

"Take your time, Mary," the gunslinger replied. "Sam an' I'll go get the horses saddled while you change."

"If you wore trousers like me, Mary, you'd always be ready," Brigitte teased.

"No, thank you, Brigitte, one tomboy in the family is more than enough!" the other girl replied archly and swept out of the room.

"Once women find out how practical and comfortable trousers are I'll bet they'll never want to wear anything else!" the tomboy predicted.

"Even girls like Mary?" Heyes asked doubtfully.

"Well," the girl thought for a moment. "I guess there'll always be girlie girls who prefer dresses," she admitted.

"You sure you don't wanna come, Heyes?" Curry asked again.

"I'm sure, Kid, you go an' have fun. I gotta start plannin' what our next move should be in this ranch business of ours."

"All right, Heyes, I'll leave you t'your schemin' since that's what you do best! Come on, Sam."

Not much later, Heyes, having been shooed out of the kitchen, watched the three mustang hunters dwindle in the distance as he sauntered unhurriedly to the paddock to check their small herd.

The enclosure had been cleverly fenced to include a portion of the stream so the livestock would always have access to fresh water, and the mustangs were happily grazing on the still plentiful grass, but with their appetites he knew it would soon be depleted or buried under snow, and they'd have to put out hay. He made a mental note to check on the feed supply.

He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the crisp mountain air, an elusive whiff of something teasing at his senses. He took another and it came to him - - freedom - - elusive because, he knew, as he stood here a free man, it could still be snatched away from him in a moment should the wrong person catch sight of him or the Kid.

It was funny, he mused, how his idea of freedom had changed over the years. First had been the need to get free of the oppressive hell hole that was the Home for Waywards and he and the Kid had been giddy with it for the first couple of weeks, maybe months, before the idealistic hope that they'd be able to find jobs and feed themselves faded. Then to find freedom from hunger they'd taken to stealing, first food and then other necessities of life until they'd finally graduated to riding with outlaws and stealing money from banks, trains, stagecoaches, whoever, whatever, and whenever. Those had been some good years, filled with a wild kind of freedom, but over their heads had hung the threat of a total loss of freedom with twenty years in prison. When the weight of that threat had become too much, the idea of another kind of freedom had taken root - - the freedom to live a normal life, raise a family, work a decent job, not looking over one's shoulder all the time. Accepting the chance for amnesty had put serious restrictions on their freedom - - true, they could go wherever they wanted, pick up honest jobs, but they could never stay in one place long for fear of being recognized and they still were constantly alert and looking over their shoulders - - but they had tolerated it, knowing that the end result would make it all worthwhile. The wandering hadn't been bad for the most part, though it was a hollow kind of freedom, and they'd found themselves hungry more often than they'd have liked, much like when they were kids, but they'd had no definite goal, just the nebulous hope for the governor's pardon which would free them from constantly being on the run. Theyn they'd met the O'Reilly's and the ranch idea had taken shape. Suddenly freedom had a place, had loving faces, had a goal, and then the wandering had become a kind of prison even though they'd been working to build their dream. Now they were back, their new home a solid reality before their eyes, and all Heyes wanted to do was lay aside his watchfulness and exult in this realization of a dream that, for years, they'd never dared dream, but he knew that was still impossible - - true freedom remained elusive still.

How many times over the past few months had he and the Kid both seen the culmination of this dream nearly jerked away from them by the cold clutches of death? Too many and too close, he decided. The achievement of amnesty would be meaningless to either of them if the other weren't there to share in it. He groaned and shook his head trying to rid himself of the memories, still raw in his mind, of the times he'd come close to losing his best friend - - no, his family.

"Are you all right, Joshua?" Brigitte's voice interrupted his gloomy reverie.

Startled, he quickly replied, "Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

Emerald eyes seemed to pierce through to his very soul. "Well, only you can tell me that, boyo, but I can see for myself what a lie that was! Now you_ are_ going to tell me what's bothering you," she said firmly, hands on hips. "I already know all your deepest darkest secrets, don't I?"

"No, you don't, because I didn't either! I learned something about myself these past months that wasn't pretty - - a facet of myself that scared and sickened me!"

"I can't imagine anything that could be so bad as that, Joshua - - why don't you enlighten me?"

Heyes was silent for a long moment, pondering what, if anything, he should say. What if what he told her so horrified her that she turned from him in disgust? His heart quailed at the thought, but this fear warred with a need to be completely honest with her. He laughed mentally at the irony of Hannibal Heyes, famous for his dishonesty, desiring to be honest with someone. Finally, he took a deep breath and plunged in. "You know that the Devil's Hole Gang was never physically violent, right?"

Brigitte nodded, but remained silent having seem something of his internal struggle reflected on his face and not wanting to interrupt now that he had chosen to speak.

"If you'd asked me why, before these last months, I'd've said that it was because posses were much more determined if people were killed, or injured in any way, an' hangin' was somethin' to avoid. Had I chosen to look deeper into my reasons, I'd probably have said that it was due to the violence don the Kid's an' my families, givin' me a strong dislike of violence of any kind. Both of those would be true, as far as they go, but neither go far enough."

Brigitte could see the muscle in his jaw working as he paused, his eyes staring into the distance without seeing as his sight was turned inward.

"Thaddeus told you about my gunfight in Coleville an' how I killed Mace Chandler - - the only many I've ever killed, never havin' thought I had killin' in me, but I was terribly wrong an' it was somethin' that'd happened before we ever got t'Coleville that forcefully drove that point home." He paused again. "Are you sure you wanna hear this?"

"Of course. I'm curious to know what you consider worse than killing a man - - although that was completely justified and an unfortunate part of your job at the time."

His lips pressed together and he replied, "That haunted me for a while, but I've come to terms with it. This other, though, still gives me nightmares sometimes."

"Maybe getting it out in the open will help ease those, Joshua," she said gently, laying a hand on his arm.

"It was after the business with the Silver Kid, Kid an' I headed of t'Yuma figurin' we'd catch up with a couple of old friends while we played poker, but there was a telegraph from Lom waitin' for us there, tellin' us there was serious trouble and t'get t'Porterville as fast as we could. We sold our horses and took the first train out. It turned out an ex-Army captain deserter with a thirst for vengeance on the Army had taken over the Devil's Hole Gang and was planning to rob the biggest payroll train of all time! This was a serious problem because _who_ does everyone believe is still the leader of the Devil's Hole Gang?"

"Hannibal Heyes," Brigitte supplied.

"Right, an' if this job got pulled off the whole Army'd be scourin' the country lookin' for us, not to mention our shot at amnesty bein' buried! No way could the governor pardon us, even if we had an iron-clad alibi for our whereabouts at the time of the robbery! The one hitch in this crazy man's plan was that the safe where the money would be stored had only been successfully opened by . . ."

"Hannibal Heyes?"

"Right again. So he sent of the gang with a message asking for a meeting with me. Kid an' I had no intentions of going' until Lom gave us the rest of the message, from the gang itself, askin' for our help cuz they were worried this maniac was gonna get 'em all killed just like he'd already killed Lobo! We had t'go, Brigitte! Kid an' me'd ridden with those boys for years, saved each other's lives over an' over again, so we couldn't just abandon them!" Dark eyes appealed to her for understanding.

"Of course you had to! You wouldn't be the man I love if you abandoned your friends like that!"

"Kid was countin' on me t'come up with a genius plan, which I did, but it was missin' the genius part!" He laid out the bare bones of the plan to his avid listener.

"Sounds like a pretty good plan to me," she commented.

"Yeah, but there were too many variables, too many things that could go wrong, an' it was lackin' the most important ingredient of all - - a back up plan! Problem was there wasn't a feasible back up plan so we were stuck with just what we had. It seemed luck was on our side for once cuz the plan was goin' smooth, we had it made until Kid's horse stumbled and threw 'im so he was captured by the Devil's Hole Gang! I'd seen Captain Glover gun down a young guard on the train so I knew he was a cold-blooded killer an' the Kid didn't stand a chance especially when they discovered he didn't have the money!

"I was frantic when the Kid didn't show up on time! I _knew_ something had gone wrong an' then Kyle came with the news, the details of just what Glover had done to the Kid to get him to tell where the money was an _that's_ when I first felt it, the thing that scared me then an' scares me still - - _rage_! Oh, sure, I'd been angry before, but nothin' like this! I _needed_ t'kill Glover! Only that act would quench the fire that burned inside me!"

"What had he done to Thaddeus?"

Heyes' face was bone white and his breaths came rapidly as he relived it all. "When they first caught him an' found the newspaper in his saddlebags, they near beat 'im t'death right there, but the Kid wouldn't tell 'im, so they took 'im up t'Devil's Hole, stripped his shirt off his back, an' _whipped_ hi, right there in front of the whole gang! _Fifteen_ times until his back looked like raw meat an' he was near dead! Stubborn fool that he is, he still wouldn't tell, makin' sure I had enough tie t'get the money back t'Lom!"

Brigitte's freckles stood out starkly on her pasty face as she stared horrified and speechless at the former outlaw leader. Heyes was too deep in his memories to notice.

"When Glover ordered another five lashes, Wheat spoke up and gave 'im the information he wanted cuz he didn't think the Kid could survive any more. Glover sent Kyle with an ultimatum - - bring the money or the Kid would die! The money had already gone back to the Army so that was out of the questions - - I had to come up with another plan, a _better_ one this time! Whether it was better, or not, it worked an' with Lom, Kyle, an' the gang's help, we got the drop on Glover an' his men. When I saw the Kid layin' there, his back in bloody shreds, his wrists torn open, his face near unrecognizable from the beating, I could've torn Glover apart with my bare hands, but I couldn't cuz I still needed proof that me, the Kid, an' the gang had nothin' t'do with the robbery or else it would've been for nothin' even though the money had been recovered! I needed t'make Glover write a confession absolving us of any part of the robbery - - nothin' less would be good enough for the Army an' the governor. I knew Glover wasn't gonna just smile an' write it cuz I asked 'im to, but I also knew he wasn't gonna leave that cabin alive without it!

"I've never hated a person so much, Brigitte, except for the men who killed our families, an' maybe not even them. All night long as I sat with the Kid, the rage burned, until by morning my will had been shaped an' hardened by that fire an' I knew just what revenge I was gonna mete out t'Glover!

"Of course he refused t'write the confession when I asked 'im an' I was _glad_, Brigitte, cuz if he had I wouldn't've had reason t'put my gun to his head, one bullet in the cylinder, an' offer 'im the chance again, or he could take his chances on the hammer not fallin' on the loaded chamber. Five times the hammer fell on an empty chamber before he broke an' agreed t'write the confession. When he was finished, I cocked the gun again, put it to his head _again_, and pulled the trigger!"

Brigitte gasped, "You _killed_ him? No, no, that's not right because you said Mace Chandler is the only man you've ever killed!"

"No, I didn't kill him, but I broke him! When he heard the hammer fall on another empty chamber he broke down an' cried like a baby! Lom took 'em an' turned 'em over t'the Army - - last I heard they'd all been hanged." He fell silent, his story obviously finished.

"I don't see anything so horrible in that story to give you nightmares, Joshua," Brigitte commented finally.

"I didn't kill 'im, Brigitte, but I _wanted_ to an' I didn't care that it would've been cold-blooded murder!"

"I guess it was pure luck you didn't seeing's how the gun could've gone off any one of those time."

"Not luck. You see, I couldn't take the chance that I'd shoot Glover before he'd written the confession, so there were _no_ bullets in the gun at all!"

"Then why brook if you knew there was no chance of killing him?"

"But there was only one thing I wanted more than to see his blood splattered all over the room! Had that obstacle not been there I would have! In the end, though, what I did to him was much crueler."

"How so?"

"I took his manhood away. I left him a sniveling coward to be scorned by the men he had led since his second-in-command had been a witness to his breakdown. This is the darkness inside of me that scares me, that gives me nightmares - - this rage that knew no bounds, the cold-bloodedness that would've seen me commit murder, and last, but not least, the sheer cruelty that could devise a punishment worse than death! These are the qualities that make me question whether I'm fit t'be loved by a decent woman like you, Brigitte!"

"_Heyes_," the girl whispered, placing a hand on each of the man's cheeks and turning him to face her. "We all have dark sides - - it's only those who refuse to face them that we need to fear. There's _nothing_ you could possibly do that could change the way I feel about you! I fell in love with an _outlaw_, not a knight in shining armor!"

"You _deserve_ a knight in shining armor, though!"

"What, and be bored all my life? Thanks, but no thanks! Now shut up and kiss me!"

Hardly daring to believe his luck, Heyes obediently bent his head and reverently pressed his lips to her tender waiting mouth.

"Have you told Thaddeus all of this?" she asked when they reluctantly broke apart.

"Nah, he'd just tell me I'm thinkin' too much again, an' I guess he's right, but, Brigitte, I nearly lost the Kid _twice_ in the short time we've been gone - - first at Glover's hand and then in the fire in Coleville - - an' that's been on my mind a lot, too! We've been each other's family for so many years, lookin' after each other, dependin' on each other, an' I just don't think I could go on if anything happened to 'im - - I sure couldn't've come back here!"

Brigitte pulled further away to search his eyes. "Why ever not?"

"Amnesty, this ranch, livin' a normal life has always been a package deal, Brigitte - - it's the both of us or neither of us. Kid's said a couple of time we shoulda split up cuz he thinks I've got a better chance without him, but I could never abandon 'im like that - - the last time I did is when he became a gunslinger, the very thing that makes 'im think he's just an obstacle to the amnesty! Besides that I couldn't come back here an' face Mary every day building' a happy life with you. I would've always loved you, Brigitte, nothin' could ever have change that. Do you understand what I'm trying' t'say?"

"Of course I do, but I know, too, that Mary would've understood and not blamed you for what happened to Thaddeus. She'd also have understood when I left to find you because there's no way I'm letting you go, Hannibal Heyes!" the girl replied adamantly.

"Livin' on the run ain't no life for a woman," Heyes told her firmly.

"_Any _kind of life with you is fine by me, Joshua," she retorted. "It's life_ without_ you that'd be no life at all. But this is all pointless to talk about, much less brood about, since it didn't happen! You're here, Thaddeus is here, the ranch is ready to get started and I'm betting your amnesties will be granted soon, too."

"There's a bet I won't take you up on, Brigitte, but you're right about the rest. Thaddeus complains I think too much, but he really gets frustrated when I brood over what he calls 'what ifs'. How 'bout walkin' with me an' we'll plot out the layout of the rest of the ranch?"

"I'd like that, Joshua."

A sharp rap on his leg as she turned to walk beside him caused Heyes to look down. "I see you took my advice to heart about wearin' your gun when you're outside."

"Of course, you don't need to tell me twice! I'd wear it all the time, but Mary would complain, and I promised Thaddeus I wouldn't wear it around town. Maybe I can show you how good I've gotten sometime?"

"Sure. Should Kid Curry start worryin' about his reputation as the fastest gun in the West?" he asked with an indulgent twinkle in his eyes.

"Nah, I'll never get _that_ fast, but maybe as fast as the Silver Kid!"

The former outlaw leader laughed as he put his arm around her waist and they began walking. "There must be some irony here with both my partner _and_ my girl bein' gunslingers!"

The mustang hunters returned at dinnertime to find a simple, yet delicious and filling meal awaiting them. They devoured ham sandwiches and smacked their lips over the dish of warm, spiced apples, chased down by the ever-present coffee.

"That was delicious, Brigitte," Curry sighed after two sandwiches and seconds of the apples.

"Thank you, Thaddeus. I'm not a cook like Mary, but I can keep a body from starving," the redhead girl replied modestly. "Joshua helped."

"Not with the coffee an' that's a fact," the gunslinger remarked, taking another sip of the brew.

"My coffee ain't that bad, Thaddeus," Heyes retorted.

"Hah! We could use it to escape jail just by pourin' it on the bars and lettin' it eat 'em away!" Curry shot back.

The former outlaw leader opened his mouth to respond, but then what his partner had just said hit home and he rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "Hmm, I wonder if you've got somethin' there, Thaddeus. I don't reckon the sheriff would appreciate us testin' the idea out on his jail, though - - he'd probably wonder why we wanted t'know and maybe get suspicious."

Brigitte ignored the wrangling partners and turned to Sam to ask, "So, Sam, did you see the mustang herd?"

"Sure did, Brigitte!" the wrangler exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "They're a beautiful bunch and that stallion is magnificent!"

"Then you aren't sorry you came?"

"Not at all. To tell the truth, I don't think I'd be sorry even without the mustangs."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Well, you see, my father's horse farm and Mr. Cole's ranch were both well-established when I came along so to be in at the beginning, to help build something from scratch, to see that the sweat I put in had a part to play in its success is an opportunity not to miss," Sam explained.

"That's very admirable of you, Sam."

"Speaking of sweat, I could sure do with a bath," Curry interjected. "Looks like you already had one, Heyes."

"Yes, I did, an' it feels great t'be clean. Wait'll you see the bathroom, Kid, it's a modern marvel!" Heyes exclaimed enthusiastically.

"As long as the water's hot an' there's a tub I can soak in I'll be happy," the gunslinger sighed.

"I'll second that," Sam put in. "If you don't mind, I'll get in line behind you, Kid."

"As long as you don't mind waitin' while I soak 'til my skin wrinkles," Curry replied.

"Not at all."

"C'mon, I'll show you where it is," Heyes offered.

"Lead the way then."

He led them out of the kitchen and down the hall and swung the second door open with a flourish. The centerpiece of the room was a massive copper tub sitting on four claw feet, gleaming in the glow from the fire in the fireplace. Over the fire hung a kettle filled with water that was already steaming. Directly across from the door a mirror hung on the wall and just below it was a shelf that held all the equipment needed for a shave. A chair was located close to the tub, a bootjack tucked neatly beneath it so one could easily remove boots from tired feet, and then drape one's clothes over it while soaking away the day's aches and pains along with the dirt.

"Nice tub," Curry commented. "But what's so modern about it?"

"This," Heyes replied and stepped to the far side of the fireplace, placing his hand on a typical water pump. "The kettle swings out from the fireplace over to here where you can pump it full of cold water and then wing it back over the fire to heat - - no more haulin' in bucket after bucket from outside!"

"Huh, that is mighty convenient," the blond replied rubbing his stubbly chin.

"Unfortunately, you still have to dip the hot water out into the tub, but then when you're finished you pull out that plug in the bottom of the tub and the dirty water empties into that grove in the floor that takes it all the way outside the house! How's _that_ for modern?"

"Well, it sounds good, but I think I oughta try it before passin' judgment."

"You do that, Kid."

"_I_ think it's a marvel," Sam said. "Too bad, though, that there isn't a way to get the hot water directly into the tub."

"Hmmm," Heyes said, one hand on his hip, the other thoughtfully stroking his chin. "You know, if the kettle had some kind of long pipe with a spigot . . ."

"Will you get out an' let me shave an' get cleaned up?" Curry growled.

"Sure, Kid, no need t'get proddy! C'mon, Sam, let's put our heads together over this hot water idea."

"I'll bring you some clean towels, Thaddeus," Mary said when she was the last in the doorway. "I'll just be a moment."

"Thanks, Mary, I'll just shave while I wait," Kid replied already beginning to unbutton his shirt.

Several minutes later as Curry whipped up a lather in the shaving mug, a muffled scream startled him. He lifted his eyes to the mirror and saw Mary, eyes wide, hand covering her mouth, staring at his bare back. Called to remembrance of the sorry state of that part of his anatomy, he spun quickly, placing it against the wall, but it was far too late.

"_Thaddeus!_" she exclaimed, but her voice was little more than a hoarse whisper. "I _knew _there was more to what I felt than just that kick to your head! How could you not tell me? Who would do such a horrible thing to you?" Her words tumbled over themselves as she clung to the doorframe to keep herself from collapsing to the floor.

"Now, Mary, it's all right," Curry soothed, coming forward to put his arm around her waist and help her to the chair. "To be honest, I'd forgotten about it in all the excitement to be home, but then I wouldn't have wanted t'dump everything on you all at once. I figured bein' kicked in the head by a horse was enough for one day! Besides, they're all healed now anyway."

"How could you have _forgotten_?"

"Lots of other stuff has happened since then," he shrugged.

"You still haven't told me who did this to you? And why?"

"It was this crazy ex-Army captain who'd taken over the Devil's Hole gang and had a plan to rob a train that was going to get the gang killed and Heyes an' me hunted to the ground by the Army for somethin' we didn't do - - so we had t'go in an' stop 'im. Heyes had this plan an' it worked perfect 'cept I wasn't supposed t'get caught! They thought I had the money an' did this t'try an' get me t'tell 'em where it was." Curry explained shortly with as few details as necessary.

"But you didn't have the money?"

"No, Heyes did an' I was t'give 'im enough time t'get it back to Porterville to Lom, which he did, but when I didn't show up as planned he got worried. Him an' Lom an' Kyle came up t'rescue me an' nearly blew up Devil's Hole in the process!"

"Turn around and let me see, Thaddeus," she demanded quietly.

"Mary . . ." he began but the look in her eyes stopped whatever he would have said and he turned his back to her.

The scars were still livid against his pale skin and the girl reached out her trembling fingers to slowly trace each lurid mark, her light touch raising goose bumps up and down Curry's arms. "Fifteen," she whispered. "To think a human being could be so cruel."

"He was goin' for twenty but Wheat spoke up an' told where the money was," the gunslinger said lightly.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better now? You could have _died_, Thaddeus!"

"Yeah, but I didn't. It's over - - it's done - - I'm home - - there's no need for you to fret yourself so!" He turned back to her, on his knees in front of the chair. "We're all gonna die someday, Mary, ain't no stoppin' that."

"Yes, but I'd prefer not to be a widow before I'm even a bride!" she retorted pertly, having recovered her equilibrium.

"No way that's gonna happen, cuz there's no way I'm leavin' again!" he stated adamantly. "Leastways not anytime soon." He leaned in and pressed his lips gently to hers. "Now can I take my bath? I don't want to sully your dress with my dirty body."

"Oh, of course! Your water is getting cold!" She rose flustered to her feet and hurried to the door where she retrieved the towels she had dropped. "Here are your towels," she said, holding them out to him.

"Why, thank you, ma'am," he said with twinkling eyes and a salacious grin. "We can pick up where we were later!"

The girl blushed profusely and shut the door firmly behind her.

Contrary to Mary's fear, the water wasn't cool at all and Curry sighed contentedly as the liquid caressed his skin. Now all he needed was a cigar and glass of whiskey.

As if in answer to that thought, Heyes burst into the room, one arm clutching a bundle of clothes, a glass of amber liquid in his other hand, and a cigar chomped between his teeth.

"Nice t'know a fella can get some privacy around here!" Curry snapped sarcastically.

"No, no, put 'em on the chair there, Heyes, an' thanks."

"Thought a whiskey'd go down nice, too."

Curry took the proffered glass and took a healthy swallow before saying, "What, no cigar?"

"Aren't you the demanding one?" laughed the former leader while pulling the desired object from his shirt pocket.

Curry put the cigar in his lips and puffed happily as his partner held a match to it.

"What's go you so het up about privacy all of a sudden?"

"Aw, Mary came in with towels while I was gettin' ready t'shave an' saw the scars on my back is all."

"Ah, so that's why she looked so upset when she passed me just now. I'm sure you can understand her feelings. You _were_ gonna tell her sometime, weren't you? I think waitin' 'til your wedding night might not have gone over any better!"

"Of course I planned t'tell her, but in a gentler way than just flashin' a back full of scars at her!"

"Glad you'd put some thought into it, Kid."

"Fat lot of good it did, though." Curry tossed off the rest of the whiskey.

"Mary's tough, even though she doesn't look it, so she'll get over the shock."

"I know, I just never wanted t'hurt her."

"You've always been a soft touch for the ladies, Kid," Heyes said, shaking his head. "Well, I'll leave you to your bath. Enjoy."

"Thanks, Heyes," Curry replied wryly.

Later that evening as they sat by the fire, Heyes announced, "We need to go to town tomorrow. I've gotta telegraph Lom that we're here and I've made up a list of a few supplies we need - - so, Brigitte, I think you an' Mary oughta head down earlier so when we show up nobody'll put two an' two together - - we don't want any damage to your reputations."

Brigitte made a face and sighed. "I can see it's going to be a long winter."

"I'm sure it'll be proper enough to come up whenever you want in the daytime, wouldn't it, Mary?" Heyes appealed to the more conventional girl.

A blush suffused the darker girl's face as she so boldly declared, "Yes, but there would be no questions at all if our betrothals were public knowledge."

"How do we do that - - take out an ad in the paper?" Curry asked.

"No, nothing so formal as _that_ when a word in the right ear will do the job just as well."

"Gossip is faster than the telegraph in Coldwater," Brigitte put in with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, let's give 'em somethin' t'talk about," Heyes said with a mischievous grin and twinkle in his eyes.

17


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Heyes and Curry were relieved to see that Coldwater really was the peaceful, quiet little town they had left nearly half a year ago. So much did they feel they had changed, or rather been changed by events they'd been caught up in, they wouldn't have been any more surprised to find it completely vanished, or grown to the size of San Francisco in their absence.

Early that morning - - too early to Curry's way of thinking - - they had eaten breakfast with Brigitte and Mary and then seen them on their way back to town. The three men had then waited several hours - - enough time for the girls to have gotten home - - before setting off themselves, a pack horse in tow to carry back their supplies. They had taken the extra precaution of riding around the town and entering from the side farthest from the O'Reilly house.

"Don't you think that's a little _too_ cautious, Heyes?" Curry had asked.

"Maybe, but it's also in my mind that the telegraph office is on that side of town so we can stop their first an' telegraph Lom - - the girls ain't expectin' us until dinnertime anyway. I expect we'll have time for a leisurely drink even."

"Put some thought into this, did you?"

"Kid," Heyes replied reproachfully. "When do I _not_ put thought into things?"

Now the three men rode into town, pulling up in front of that telegraph office, and Heyes dismounted, saying, "No point in you two gettin' down, it'll just take me a minute."

"Looks like a nice little town," Sam commented while he and Curry waited.

"It is," the gunslinger replied. "Folks are friendly an' welcomin', even the sheriff."

"Don't you and Joshua worry about a sheriff getting too friendly?"

"Usually we would, but when Lom came t'see us when we were here last time he put in a good word for us with the sheriff, so he won't even consider we aren't really Thaddeus Jones an' Joshua Smith. We won't be spendin' a whole lotta time in town anyway."

"Well, that's done," Heyes announced as he strode back outside. "I said we'd be over in the saloon havin' a drink if Lom sends a reply - - either there or at the O'Reilly's." Such had been their arrangements that morning with Brigitte and Mary in order to not appear inappropriately eager.

"It ain't ever good news if he does," Curry grunted.

"Our luck's gotta change sometime, Thaddeus," the other replied as he swung into his saddle.

"You keep _sayin'_ that, Joshua."

"Yup, an' I'll _keep_ sayin' it until I'm right!"

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"What, that I'll be right?"

"No, that you'll just keep _sayin'_ it," Curry sighed.

Heyes rolled his eyes without comment and reined his horse in the direction of the saloon, which was nearly empty as most were on a weekday at this hour in honest, hardworking towns. Heyes had often wondered why they bothered staying open during the day, but reasoned that the few regulars and travelers passing through must be sufficient. He spotted a newspaper at the end of the bar as they each ordered a beer and asked the bartender if he could read it.

"Sure, be my guest," was the reply as the frothy brews were set before them.

They took their mugs to a table where Heyes happily disappeared behind the paper.

"I can't decide what irritates me more," Curry began after a long draw on his drink.

"About what, Thaddeus?" Sam asked.

"Joshua. He's either talkin' my ear off, or stickin' his nose in a book or newspaper."

Sam laughed. "You don't enjoy reading, Thaddeus?"

"It ain't that exactly, but I've usually got enough t'concern me right where I am without worryin' about what's happenin' other places. Usually ain't my concern anyway."

"What about books? Most boys love adventure stories."

"So did I when I was a kid, but at a very young age real life became enough of an adventure that I sure didn't need t'read about anybody else's!"

"I suppose you have a point there," Sam conceded.

Their beers were a swallow away from being finished when Sheriff Taylor parted the swinging doors and headed straight for their table - - a less than welcoming look on his face.

Heyes neatly folded the paper and put on his most innocent expression. "Afternoon, Sheriff Taylor," he greeted. "Will you join us?"

"Smith, Jones," the sheriff replied shortly and threw a curious glance at Sam as he sat.

"This is Sam Adamson. He's gonna be foreman of our ranch."

The lawman nodded at the wrangler as he said, "Yeah, that's some ranch you two are building up there."

"Ah, you've been to see it then?"

"Felt it was my duty and I know for a fact it takes a pretty penny to build a house like that."

"Yes, it did," Heyes replied seemingly unconcerned, but his instincts warned him that the sheriff wasn't just making casual conversation.

"Which makes a man wonder where two young fellows such as yourselves came up with that kind of money - - also taking into consideration your condition when you first came to Coldwater."

"Just what're you gettin' at, sheriff?" Curry asked quietly, but the hard look in his blue eyes was unmistakable.

"Maybe you oughta read this first," Sheriff Taylor said pulling a folded telegraph out of his shirt pocket.

Heyes' eyes narrowed as he took the paper and opened it. "Since when do telegraphs get delivered to the sheriff instead of who they're addressed to?"

"Read it first."

Heyes read:

To: Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones Coldwater, Colorado

From: Sheriff Lom Trevors, Porterville, Wyoming

Luke Potter's brother released from prison. Rumored to have regathered the gang.

He handed the telegraph to his partner to read and said, "So?"

"So it makes me wonder why Sheriff Trevors sees fit to send you news of a notorious outlaw gang. Makes me wonder how two young fellows such as yourselves might've come up with the money for that grand ranch being built. Makes me wonder if you're the sort of people we want in this town."

"You don't think we're _outlaws_, do you?"

"No, of course not! I don't know of any outlaws getting telegraphs from sheriffs, but there's other ways of getting large amounts of money that, while legal, may be morally distasteful."

Suddenly it dawned on Heyes what the lawman was beating around the bush about. "You think we're _bounty hunters_?"

"The thought crossed my mind. You saying you ain't?"

"Nothing could be further from the truth, sheriff!" The ex-outlaw grinned in relief. "Thaddeus an' me made that money honestly - - playin' poker mostly, which some might consider morally distasteful, too, while legal."

"Then why is Sheriff Trevors informing you about Luke Potter's brother?"

"Because we were there when Luke Potter was killed."

"He's _dead_?" the sheriff exclaimed. "There's been no news of that and I guarantee you that that would've been big news!"

"Only people who know are me an' Thaddeus, Potter's gang, an' the Silver Kid, who killed him. Oh, an' Lom, of course."

"If the bounty was paid out the folks who paid it would've let the news out."

"The Silver Kid didn't claim rewards - - he wasn't a bounty hunter either. Thaddeus an' me buried the body an' that was the end of it. Lom's probably worried that Potter's brother might want revenge, but since we didn't kill Luke there ain't no reason forhis brother to come after us. Only Lom knows where we are anyway."

"That's it?"

"That's it, sheriff," Heyes assured the lawman. "So are two gamblers turned respectable ranchers welcome in your town?"

"Of course! Just don't make paupers out of all the town fold, if you don't mind," Sheriff Taylor said jovially, his relief evident in his demeanor.

"Don't worry, sheriff, we'll be too busy gettin' the ranch goin' t'do much gamblin' at all."

"Sounds good, boys. Well, thanks for your time."

"Anytime, sheriff, anytime."

The relief at the table was palpable as the doors swung shut behind the lawman.

"Well, I don't mind admittin' I was sweatin' bullets for a minute there, Joshua," Curry said. "Since we're plannin' on settlin' here a suspicious sheriff ain't good."

"You're right about that, Thaddeus," Heyes agreed. "This telegraph makes this article I was readin' more meaningful."

"Which article?"

"This one about the 'sudden recurrence of robberies and assaults of the type once linked to Luke Potter's gang after nearly six months of peace'," Heyes read from the paper. "Seems like those rumors Lom's heard are right on. Did you know Potter had a brother, Thaddeus?"

"Yeah, younger, even more vicious than Luck if you can believe that. Named Nate, I think."

"You didn't think this bit of information was something I should know?"

"Why? He was in prison," Curry said matter-of-factly and shrugged.

"Because people get _out_ of prison! Well, he seems to be more interested in gettin' the gang back in business than revenge."

"He'd go lookin' for the Silver Kid anyway, Joshua, not us. We didn't kill his brother."

"That's true. I worry too much, I guess."

"Ain't that the truth," Curry snorted.

"You two ready to go?" Heyes asked, changing the subject and getting to his feet.

Curry and Sam tossed off the rest of their beers and followed Heyes, who was already halfway to the doors.

Two men relaxed on the O'Reilly porch as the three newcomers rode up - - one obviously Dr. O'Reilly, while the other was a much younger man. "Joshua! Thaddeus! Welcome home, me boyos!" Dr. O'Reilly called. He strode briskly down the porch stairs and hurried to open the gate for the young men. "Won't my girls be that surprised to see you!"

"It's good to see you, too, Dr. O'Reilly," Heyes responded, grasping the proffered hand warmly. "Although there's less of you to see, I see."

Indeed, Dr. O'Reilly's previously portly figure was much reduced, though he wasn't yet slim still the buttons on his vest no longer threatened to burst. He shook Curry's hand while saying, "Aye, while my girls have been building your ranch they've left me in the care of a dour Scotswoman, who barely gives me enough food to stay alive!"

Heyes chuckled and then gestured Sam forward. "Doc, I'd like you to meet Sam Adamson, the foreman of that ranch you mentioned."

"Welcome to Coldwater, Sam! Come up onto the porch, there's someone _I'd_ like you to meet." He hustled the trio up to the porch where the younger man stood, looking on. "Boys, I'd like you to meet Bartholomew Higgins, my partner and Coldwater's new surgeon. Barty, this is Joshua Smith, Thaddeus Jones, and Sam Adamson."

"A pleasure," the young surgeon replied, shaking the three men's hands. "I've heard a lot about you since my arrival here."

"Well, I hope you don't hold what you heard against us, Dr. Higgins," Heyes said with his charming smile, while his eyes assessed the town's most eligible bachelor.

Bartholomew Higgins could be considered of average height, a smidge shorter than both Heyes and Curry, and slim bordering on slight of build. His hair was pale blond, parted in the middle and slicked down, his eyes an equally pale blue, his nose short and slightly tilted, his mouth was formed by two sensuous lips that wouldn't have been out of place on a woman. He was dressed in a dapper suit made from a fine black cloth, his starched white shirt spotless, his tie flawlessly knotted, his shoes buffed to a brilliant shine. Heyes wasn't so sure what made him so eligible, but he suddenly felt himself in need of another bath.

"Why don't you boys sit down while I go tell Brigitte and Mary you're here and I'll find Sean to take care of your horses," Dr. O'Reilly suggested and hurried away before anyone could reply.

"So, Doc, where you from?" Heyes asked as he casually half-sat on the porch railing while Curry and Sam relaxed into the two empty chairs.

"I'm from Boston, Mr. Smith," the young physician replied.

"It's Joshua - - I expect we'll be seein' a lot of each other. Why'd you come all the way out here, if you don't mind my askin'?"

"Why would I mind?"

"Oh, well, there's lots of different kinds of folk that make their way West, most with the idea of startin' a new life, but some have good reason for leavin' their old lives behind. We tend to respect that out here."

"Ah, well, there's certainly no nefarious reason behind my coming just that Dr. O'Reilly's offer of a partnership was an opportunity too good to pass up. You see, there are many physicians in Boston and thus competition is fierce. When Dr. O'Reilly explained that there wasn't a surgeon closer than two days I knew that I could be useful here."

"You're right about that, Doc," Curry put in. "Folks have died out here for want of a doctor."

"Life out here is often dangerous," Heyes remarked.

"You two sound as if you know from personal experience," Dr. Higgins commented.

"You could say that," the former outlaw agreed.

The doctor started to say something else, but was cut off by the door slamming open and Brigitte happily shouting, "Joshua, you're back!"

Heyes stood up to prevent himself from toppling off the porch as the girl flung herself enthusiastically into his arms, her arms wrapping around his neck as she planted a kiss on his waiting lips.

Following sedately, but no less happily, was Mary. "Welcome back, Thaddeus," she said demurely. "I'm so glad you've arrived safely. We've missed you."

Curry enveloped her in a bear hug that lifted her off her feet. "Not half as much as I've missed you, Mary!" he disputed, then kissed her with gusto.

Dr. Bartholomew Higgins stood silent, shocked at this scandalous display, a tinge of red coloring his pale Eastern skin. Sam had also risen to his feet, but his face entertained an amused smile.

"Now, lasses, you're scandalizing the good doctor!" Dr. O'Reilly scolded teasingly upon returning to the porch.

Mary blushed and straightened her skirts as she regained her feet, but Brigitte just laughed. "He'd better get used to thing being different out here in the West, Da! Besides, we're betrothed so it's not _that_ scandalous!"

"Be that as it may, it's still unkind to give the poor man apoplexy, or at the very least ruin his appetite for dinner," the older doctor retorted. "No how about you being courteous to our other guest? This gentleman is Sam Adamson and he's come to be foreman at Joshua and Thaddeus' ranch. Sam, this redheaded hoyden is my oldest daughter, Brigitte, and the shy one there is Mary."

Pretending to have never met the man, Brigitte stuck out her hand and said, "Welcome to Coldwater, Mr. Adamson."

"Sam, please," the wrangler replied as he returned the girl's firm pressure. In a more courtly manner, he lifted Mary's hand gallantly to his lips, very aware of Curry's scowl. "It's simply a delight to meet such beautiful young ladies."

Mary giggled as his moustache tickled the back of her hand. "You're a flatterer, Sam! I hope you brought your appetite because dinner is ready."

"I'm famished," Sam replied.

Curry grabbed Sam's arm as the others trooped in to dinner. "Just what do you think you're doin', Sam, kissin' Mary's hand like that?"

With a look of surprised innocence Sam replied, "Just making it look good like we talked about, Thaddeus - -it's the first time I've met her, you know."

"Well, you don't hafta make it look _that_ good, okay?" the gunslinger growled.

"Relax, Thaddeus," the wrangler actually patted Curry's arm. "Who in their right mind is going to mess with _your_ girl?" The rust moustache lifted in a mischievous grin.

Heyes stuck his head back out the door. "You two comin'?"

"Yeah, we're comin'," Curry replied and release Sam's arm. He followed the wrangler through the door and as he passed his partner he frowned at the knowing half-smile. "What?" he snapped.

Heyes laughed out loud and slapped his partner on the shoulder. "Nothin', Thaddeus, let's eat."

"So will you boys be staying tonight in town, or heading on up to your ranch?" Dr. O'Reilly asked after everyone had filled their plates.

"I think we'll go straight up after we pick up a few supplies," Heyes replied. "We're pretty anxious to see it."

"Well, I think you'll be quite pleasantly surprised at how well the plans turned out. All the organizing of workers, ordering of supplies, and supervising the actual work kept Brigitte too busy to get up to her usual antics," the physician teased his daughter with an affectionate look.

"Da!" Brigitte protested.

"Mary, too, was kept quite busy feeding the builders. Their poor father they abandoned to the care of a dour Scotswoman with more starch in her spine that her apron and a tongue that can lash a man to ribbons!" If he noticed his listeners' winces at the mention of lashes he assumed they were all in sympathy with his suffering. ""Tis sure I am that her dear departed husband fled this world to find a bit of peace!"

"Now, Da, Mrs. McDaniel is scarcely the ogre you're making her out to be."

"Perhaps not," he admitted. "So, Joshua, Thaddeus, your time away was obviously profitable, hopefully it was uneventful, if you take my meaning."

"Doc, me an' Thaddeus wouldn't hardly think a day was properly complete without some kind of event, but we're here an' in one piece so that's all that counts. Lom distracted us a couple of times with little jobs, like fillin' in as sheriffs in Coleville."

"Wow, you were sheriffs?" Sean piped up for the first time - - his eyes alight with excitement. "Did you arrest anyone?"

"There's more t'bein' a sheriff than just arrestin' people, Sean," Heyes told the boy gently.

"But we _did_ arrest somebody, Sean," Curry put in. "In fact, Joshua arrested the mayor's wife."

"I think you were involved in that just a tiny bit, too, Thaddeus," the former outlaw retorted.

"They mayor's _wife_? What'd she do?" The young boy fairly danced in his chair.

"She's one of them people against drinkin' an' so she took it into her head to take a hatchet to the saloon," the gunslinger explained. "Me an' Joshua had t'take her in for destruction of private property an' disturbin' the peace."

"Is she still in jail?"

"Nah, the owner agreed to forget about it as long as she paid for the damage she'd done."

"What else happened?"

"Well," Curry thought for a moment. "We met Sam while we were there - - had him in jail for a while, but that was more for his own protection since he an' a rancher there were havin' a bit of a disagreement."

"Didja hafta fight any gunslingers?"

"Sean!" Mary reproved her brother.

Heyes lost his smile, a fact not lost on his ever-alert partner. "We weren't in Dodge City, Sean," Curry replied. "Coleville's a nice quiet little town, not the type gunslingers frequent."

"Oh," the boy's face fell in disappointment.

"Honestly, Sean, you're getting to be about as bloodthirsty as Brigitte!" Mary tsked. "Now stop badgering the men and let them eat their dinner in peace."

"Oh, okay," groused the boy sulkily and turned his attention back to his food.

"It was enlightening to see a lawman's job from behind the badge and I sure have a lot more respect for what a sheriff's gotta go through every day," Heyes said with a shake of his dark head. "They deserve a lot more pay than they get, that's for sure."

"Joshua and Thaddeus made a fine pair of lawmen," Sam added.

"We'd best not let our good Sheriff Taylor hear about it," Dr. O'Reilly said. "He might feel his position threatened."

"Hah, not likely!" Heyes snorted. "Two weeks of that was more than enough for my lifetime. How 'bout you, Thaddeus?"

"I'm with you, Joshua," Curry agreed. "I'm ready for a nice peaceful life of bustin' broncs an' only riskin' a broken neck!"

"Well, you came back in good time, boys, because I rather doubt the weather's going to hold out much longer - - in fact, we've usually had a good snowstorm by now."

"We pushed as hard as we could to get here before snowfall since none of us relished the thought of camping in the snow."

"I think you'll find we've stocked your larder with a winter's worth of supplies," Brigitte said. "You shouldn't have any trouble hunting fresh meat when you need it - - game is plentiful up there. Plus Mary is giving you several of her best laying hens so you'll have a supply of fresh eggs."

Heyes smiled warmly at the girl. "Sounds like you've thought of everything."

"The basics - - there may be certain things you want that I haven't thought of," she replied, blushing from the praise.

"There _are_ a few things I want to stock up on after dinner. Would you ladies like to stroll down to the mercantile with us?"

"You bet!" Brigitte said heartily.

"That would be lovely," Mary said.

"Can I come, too?" Sean asked eagerly.

"Sure you can." Heyes turned to Dr. Higgins. "I'm sorry if we've appeared to ignore you, Doc, and I hope we haven't bored you to tears."

"Not at all, Joshua," the young physician assured him. "I've just been sitting here listening and thinking how different this dinner conversation is from those one would have back in Boston. It's rather like reading one of those dime novels!"

"Hah! You ain't heard nothin', Doc," Curry exclaimed. "We could tell you some stories that'd make your hair stand on end!"

"But we won't, " his partner hastened to say. "Because we are in polite company."

"Perhaps some other day?"

"Perhaps," Heyes agreed.

After the dishes were cleared, the two doctors retired to the office portion of the house, the two couples, led by Sean who skipped ahead, strolled arm in arm down the boardwalk to the mercantile.

Mrs. Collins smiled brightly as the small group entered her establishment. "Mr. Smith! Mr. Jones! Welcome back to Coldwater! How may I be of assistance?"

"I need some rifles and ammunition if you have any," Heyes replied after tipping his hat courteously.

"Let me get my husband from the back - - he's much more knowledgeable about that sort of thing."

"Much obliged, ma'am."

She disappeared behind a curtain and returned momentarily with Mr. Collins in tow.

"My wife says you'd like some rifles," he stated.

"Yes, eight, .45 caliber, if you have them in stock, and two cases of ammunition."

The shopkeeper's eyes widened at the order. "You planning on fighting a war, Mr. Smith?"

"Not unless one comes to us up the mountain, Mr. Collins, but I expect we might see wolves, or other predators, through the winter thinkin' t'make our horses easy meals. Best t'be prepared for the two-legged kind, too - - especially that far away from the nearest help."

"We've got a pretty nice valley here, Mr. Smith, but, you're right, it never hurts to be prepared for the worst. I think I have just what you need, if you'll step this way."

"While they're looking at rifles, could you show us your dress patterns, Mrs. Collins?" Brigitte asked politely.

The shop proprietress looked as if she'd just heard a dog speaking to her. "Did you have something particular in mind?" she asked when she finally found her voice.

"Yes, something fancy that would look nice white satin and lace," the redhead replied with an inner smile.

"Certainly, if you'll step this way. I also have some fabric swatches you might like to look at."

"Yes, we would like that, thank you."

Mrs. Collins placed a rather hefty catalog on the counter in front of the two girls. "Now I don't have every pattern in this book, but if you like something that I don't have I can order it for you, the same for any fabric."

"But would it get here in time?" Brigitte worried.

"In time for what, Brigitte?"

"Why Mary's and my weddings, of course, Mrs. Collins! We haven't set an exact date yet, because they haven't formally asked Da's blessing, but we're planning on the Spring."

"Oh, my, that's terribly exciting news! You can be sure I won't say a word about it until it's official."

"Thanks, Mrs. Collins, I was sure we could trust you with our confidence."

The two girls put their heads together and browsed the book of patterns, discussing the merits of this one and then another, until they finally settled on two, after which they turned their attention to the fabric. This took less time to decide since there was less available to choose from. They gave their orders to Mrs. Collins, who assured them she would get the order in right away and that it would arrive in plenty of time. She also reassured them that their secret was safe with her.

"We'll be back within the hour to pick these up, Mr. Collins," Heyes was saying when the girls rejoined the men.

"That'll be just fine, Mr. Smith. I'll have them packaged and waiting for you," Mr. Collins replied with the pleased smile of a businessman who had just made a tidy profit.

Sam had strolled through the store accompanied by Sean, who was happy to point out some of the more choice items available, and as they returned to the counter to join the others, the wrangler asked, "Mr. Collins, could you put two-bits of candy in a bag for me?"

"Sure, any particular favorites?"

"Some of each - - I've got a terrible sweet tooth and I'm not too particular."

A treasure trove of delicious candies was soon packaged and placed in Sam's hand and he pulled a coin out of his vest pocket. "Thank you."

"My pleasure."

The six stepped back out into the sunshine and paused a moment to let their eyes adjust. Sam opened his back of candy and held it out to Sean. "Would you like some?"

"Oh, yes, please!" the boy replied, his eyes shining.

"Go ahead then, take your pick."

Sean carefully selected several pieces and then promptly bit off a large bite of licorice.

"Your manners, Sean," Mary reminded gently.

"Thank you, Mr. Adamson," Sean mumbled around his mouthful of candy.

"You're welcome, Sean, and call me Sam, please - - Mr. Adamson is my father."

"Sure thing, Sam!"

The group continued down the boardwalk, Heyes and Curry arm in arm with Brigitte and Mary. "Our mission is accomplished," Brigitte said once they were far enough from the General Store.

"How so?" Heyes queried.

"We told Mrs. Collins about our planned weddings in the Spring and swore her to secrecy because you and Thaddeus haven't asked Da's blessing yet. Before dinner tomorrow every townswoman will know and all will have been sworn to secrecy, and by supper all of their husbands will know and our visits to the ranch will be noticed with indulgent winks and nudges," the redhead explained.

"So that's how a small town works, huh?" Curry asked.

"Well, it's how Coldwater works, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was much the same in most places where everybody knows everybody else's business," Mary answered. "It may seem gossipy, but people here look out for each other and I think it makes it a nice place to live."

"We'll just have t'be careful what we say in public," Heyes commented.

"Ain't nothin' new in that, Joshua," his partner reminded him.

"True."

Back at the house, Mary fixed a pot of coffee, which they drank on the porch, passing the time in casual conversation, but soon it was time for the men to leave in order to traverse the pass before dark. Sam and Sean went to ready the horses while the young couples said their goodbyes in relative privacy.

"I'll be up early tomorrow," Brigitte said in a tone that seemed to say she expected an argument.

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Heyes replied indulgently.

All too soon they were riding away, leaving the two young women standing rather forlornly on the porch watching them go.

"Is there some particular reason for waitin' 'til Spring, Joshua?" Curry asked after one last look behind.

"We wouldn't want folks thinkin' we're in unseemly haste, Thaddeus," was his partner's reply.

"We wouldn't?"

"No, we wouldn't - - wouldn't be proper."

"Oh, well, if you say so, Joshua," the gunslinger replied doubtfully.

"Have I ever steered you wrong, Thaddeus?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Spring'll be here before you know it."

"Personally, I think it's gonna be a long winter."

True to his word, Mr. Collins had the rifles and ammunition ready to go. The trio balanced the packages on the packhorse and tied them securely. Curry looked up from the last knot he was tying, his eyes widening as his glance crossed the street to the saloon. "Joshua," he said. "Don't those horses look familiar?"

"Hmm?" Heyes followed his partner's gaze, eyes narrowing as they lit on the solid black horse with the silver trimmed saddle. "I believe you're right, Thaddeus. I think we'd better go check this out. Sam, would you mind staying with the horses a few minutes, make sure nobody gets any funny ideas with our gear?"

"Sure, Joshua, no problem," the wrangler replied, curious, but willing to bide his time for answers.

The two former outlaws strode across the street, stepping through the batwing doors and into the dimness of the saloon. There was a solitary and very familiar figure standing at the bar, the bartender hovering nearby, a suspicious look on his face quickly replaced by one of relief when he saw Heyes and Curry. "Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones, this here jasper's been asking questions about you," he declared.

"It's all right, George, he's a friend of ours," Heyes assured the man.

Said jasper turned, a smile brightening the face that was shadowed by the black hat. "Joshua! Thaddeus! It's good to see you!"

"It's good to see you, too, Mick," Heyes greeted, stepping up to the slight figure with a friendly slap to the shoulder. "George, this is Mick Calahan, we've been expecting him."

"I reckon I know who he is," George replied. "I read the newspapers."

"Aw, you know how they exaggerate! Would you bring us three whiskeys over to that table there?"

"Sure, be right with you."

"C'mon, Mick, let's do some catching up," Heyes said, his firm grip on the slender shoulder not allowing any argument.

They took seats and waited until the bartender had placed the drinks in front of them and gone back to his place behind the bar before Heyes spoke again, a hint of his own suspicion in his voice. "I see you're still traveling as the Silver Kid. Why?"

"Yeah, once I decided to some see if your offer was still open I decided that being the Silver Kid was safer than being a woman traveling alone through the wilderness," Mick explained, her silver gray eyes steady and guileless on Heyes' brown.

"Dangerous bein' the Silver Kid, too," Curry said, breaking his silence. 

"You're right, Thaddeus, but most folks tend to avoid me and I'm quite capable of defending myself if someone wants trouble. Chances of finding that trouble were a hundred times better as a woman alone. Go ahead and try to tell me that ain't true," she challenged pugnaciously.

"No, you're right," the gunslinger admitted. "But it ain't exactly safe this way either, what with your reputation."

"Well, like I said, most folks stay out of my way."

"Why did you go to the O'Reilly's like I told you?" Heyes wanted to know.

"I stopped here first to see if you were in town - - I didn't feel too comfortable barging in on perfect strangers without knowing you were somewhere around."

"They've been expectin' you, Mick, they've been thinkin' lately you weren't gonna come."

"I almost didn't," Mick admitted.

"Can we talk as we ride? We were just startin' back to the ranch when we saw your horses - - we've only got barely enough time t'make it through the pass before dark."

"Sure, let's go." Mick tossed off her drink and stood.

Heyes and Curry followed suit and they headed out the doors, Heyes tossing George a coin and a wave, saying, "See you next time we're down, George."

"Bring your horses over to the General Store, Mick, we've got someone for you to meet."

"Okay." Mick freed the reins of King and Beauty and followed them across to where Sam waited, watching their approach curiously.

"Sam, I'd like you to meet Mick Calahan. Mick, this is Sam Adamson, our foreman."

The wrangler looked the petite figure dressed all in black up and down, taking in the low-slung holster with its protruding six-gun grips that were well-polished by frequent use. The silvery gray eyes that were giving him the same once over were cold as ice. Even though he knew her story from Heyes and Curry, he was still taken aback by the suppressed air of danger that surrounded her, like a rattlesnake coiled to strike. Nevertheless, he pushed his hat casually back on his head and leaned back against the hitching rail, arms crossed over his chest. "So, you're the Silver Kid, eh? You're not as big as your reputation paints you," he commented.

"Size isn't all that counts," Mick retorted, her temper flaring at what she perceived to be a condescending slight.

"No, I don't suppose so as long as you carry that equalizer on your hip. You've got some mighty find horseflesh there, though. Thoroughbreds, aren't they?"

"I see you know your horses at least," she shot back scathingly.

"That's why Joshua and Thaddeus hired me."

Heyes and Curry stood off to the side watching this interchange with interest.

"I think they're takin' a likin' to each other, don't you, Thaddeus?" Heyes commented.

Curry shook his head. "What _I_ think is you'd better stay out of the matchmakin' business if that's whay you're thinkin'."

"Me? I'm just figurin' we'll all be livin' and workin' together so we oughta get along."

"Uh-huh."

Changing the subject, Heyes announced, "We'd better get a move on - - we're runnin' out of light and attractin' attention."

The four mounted up and with a clatter of hooves left Coldwater behind, keeping the horses to a lope in deference to the laden packhorses. After several miles they slowed to a brisk walk.

"How far is this ranch of yours?" Mick asked.

"About two hours ride. See that pass up there?" Mick nodded. "It's on the other side."

"Pretty isolated," she commented.

"Suits us."

"Yeah, me, too."

"So, how're you doin', Mick?"

She shrugged. "I'm still alive."

"That somethin' I'm mighty glad t'see. What've you been up to since we last saw you?"

"I went back to Texas like I had planned, visited Mike's grave, told him he'd been avened and then I just didn't know what to do - - I felt completely empty. So I went back to the little cabin where I'd spent the year becoming the Silver Kid. I spent most of my time brooding, to be honest, couldn't even get up enough desire to finish the job you'd interrupted. Finally, I got sick of myself, and my own company. I figured that maybe the best thing I could do in Mike's memory was continue with our plan to breed horses and take you up on your offer of a partnership. So I headed here, hoping the offer was still open." Her voice trailed off on a questioning note.

"Of course it is! Just wait 'til you see the ranch house - - we've got room for you an' the whole Devil's Hole gang!" Heyes exclaimed with a broad grin.

"You realize Heyes is exaggeratin', I hope, Mick," Curry put in. "But it's pretty big and there's sure plenty of room for you."

"I appreciate it, really I do, and I'll pull my own weight," the small gunslinger assured them.

"No doubt about that, Mick, cuz the four of us, and Brigitte and Mary, are all there are for all the work that'll need t'be done t'get this ranch up an' runnin'. You realize it'll probably be some time before we realize a profit, don't you?" Heyes asked.

"Of course, and money's the least of my concerns."

"Hmmph, I can't say money's at the bottom of _my_ list," the former gang leader grunted.

"Well, Heyes, not everybody's as avaricious as you are," Curry teased.

"_Avaricious?_ Kid, where you gettin' this kinda language?"

"From listenin' to you, Heyes," the gunslinger drawled.

"Oh, well, glad to see I've had _some_ kind of positive influence on you." Out of the corner of his eye, Heyes caught the faintest shadow of a smile on Mick's face, quickly gone, but a hopeful sign.

"How come we ain't worryin' about Mick's reputation, Heyes?" Curry wondered. "Shouldn't she be stayin' with the O'Reillys?"

"You'd be right, Kid, if anybody but us knew Mick's a woman, but since they don't then her reputation's safe," Heyes explained.

"But ain't they gonna find out some time?" the gunslinger persisted.

"I don't know, probably, but we don't really need t'worry about it right now. Do we, Mick?"

"_I'm_ not worried about my reputation, Kid, so you don't need to be," Mick replied. "I don't expect to start running around in skirts any time soon anyway - - I've kind of gotten used to trousers."

"You an' Brigitte'll have a lot in common," Heyes said wryly.

"Now it's my turn to ask what you two have been up to."

"We went back t'playin' poker to raise the stake for this ranch with a couple of rough spots along the way, but we'll tell you about them some other time, after three or four drinks," Heyes replied.

"Sounds intriguing."

"But everything worked out. We met Sam up in Coleville, Wyoming. He led us to a fine stud and he brought a string of mustangs to the ranch. We just got back two days ago."

"_Mustangs?_ What do you want with mustangs?" Mick exclaimed, curling her lip and looking over her shoulder at the wrangler.

Stung, Sam snapped, "I plan on breeding the best cowponies in the West! By combining the best characteristics of the quarter horse and the mustang, yes, and maybe even thoroughbreds, we'll have a breed that'll bring ranchers and cowboys all the way from Texas and California to buy!"

"Huh, is that a fact?"

"Yes, it is. Have you ever ridden a mustang? Have you ever even _seen_ one up close?"

"No, can't say that I have," she admitted.

"Then you got no right to turn up your nose at them! You take a look at my string, and the herd that runs the range up there, and _then_ we'll talk!"

"Who put a burr under _his_ saddle?" Mick asked turning her face back to the front.

Heyes and Curry exchanged laughing glances. "Sam's like a mother hen when it comes to his mustangs, Mick," Curry told her.

"Yeah, he's a very passionate spokesman for the breed, a fact that nearly got him killed for it up in Coleville," Heyes elaborated. "He's got a point, though - - you should wait and see his animals - - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

"Okay," she shrugged. "I'll reserve judgment until then. I doubt I'll throw my thoroughbreds over for his mustangs, though."

"You don't have to, just keep an open mind."

By this time they were heading into the pass and conversation died while the concentrated on leaning forward to lighten their mounts' burdens. At the top, though, Heyes had to stop, as usual, to look out over the valley. "There it is, Mick, our valley." He gestured broadly and Mick let her eyes drink in the view.

"This is all yours?" Mick asked in awe.

"Yeah, because who else wants to live in such a remote spot besides outlaws, former outlaws, or other fugitives?"

"There's nothing to compare to this in Texas!"

"I think we can agree with you on that, Mick. Heyes an' me've been to Texas once or twice," Curry put in. "We found it had two temperatures - - hot as hell an' cold as hell."

"That sounds a bit contradictory, don't you think?"

Curry shrugged. "It's Texas," he said as if that explained everything.

The sun was rapidly dropping behind the mountains and a biting wind began to blow up through the pass. Heyes shivered and said, "Speaking of cold, let's get down off this mountain before we freeze."

Possibly the only advantage of the small track having been beaten into a well-defined road was that they could move faster and soon were riding into the ranch yard.

"All this was built on poker winnings?" Mick asked, awestruck again at the sight of the house.

"Well, we did a couple of odd jobs, too, that helped," Heyes told her modestly.

"_Honest_ jobs?" She looked at the two former outlaws through narrowed eyes.

"Of _course_ they were honest jobs! We haven't worked hard at bein' honest these past couple of years just t'throw it away now that we're plannin' on settlin' down! I know we haven't know each other that long, Mick, but I thought our time together had convinced you of our sincerity." Heyes managed to look shocked and offended at the same time, while Curry's eyes had become chunks of ice.

"You're right, Heyes, I'm sorry, I meant no offense - - it's just so grand! You must be awfully good at poker, or awfully lucky."

"No offense taken. It was Brigitte, really, who put the money to careful use and got this place built - - that girl knows how to drive a hard bargain."

"I can't wait to meet this paragon."

Working together they soon had their horses groomed, watered, and fed, and several pitchforks of hay tossed into the mustangs' paddock.

The small group trooped up to the door of the house and Heyes swung open the door, holding it so that Mick could enter first. "Welcome home, Mick," he said softly.

Tears welled in her eyes as she silently stepped over the threshold.

Silver City, New Mexico, that same day:

Nate Potter strode out of the telegraph office, his thin-lipped mouth twisted in a triumphant leer. He was a young man, but hard living had left its marks on his face making him appear years older, and his yellow eyes, so like his late brother's, glittered with malice. He swung into the saddle of his waiting horse and viciously spurred the animal into a gallop.

Outside of town, out of sight, the reunited members of Luke Potter's gang watched as their new leader brought his mount to a skidding halt amidst a cloud of dust.

"Walker's traced the Silver Kid to Oakton, Colorado. He left there two days ago, heading north. Bartender said he was askin' for directions to a place called Coldwater. That's where we'll run 'im down an' he'll pay for killin' my brother an' it won't be no 'fair fight'!" The malicious gleam in Nate Potter's eyes sent chills down the spines of even the most hardened of the gang. "It'll be a good idea to get out of New Mexico for a while anyway, especially after we take down this town's bank tonight!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Savory aromas of coffee and bacon frying filled the house, setting Kid Curry's sleeping stomach growling and prying open his blue eyes. His hunger overcame his desire for more sleep and he hauled himself out of bed and into his clothes.

Heyes was coming out of his room at the same time, still tucking in his shirttail. "Who's cookin'?" he asked.

"I dunno - - Sam?" Curry replied.

"Nope, not me," said Sam, joining them in the hallway.

"Well, that leaves Mick then, unless Brigitte and Mary left at the crack of dawn to get here."

"I don't care who it is," Curry stated. "It smells good an' I'm hungry."

The three men clattered downstairs and found that it was, indeed, Mick wielding the frying pan.

"Good morning," she greeted. "I hope you don't mind me taking the liberty of snooping through the larder for breakfast makings."

"Feel free, Mick, although you didn't hafta get up early an' fix breakfast."

"I couldn't sleep anymore so I figured it was the least I could do. The coffee's ready so grab yourselves a cup - - the food'll be on the table in just a minute."

Sam reached the coffee pot first and poured for everyone.

"Anything wrong that kept you from sleepin', Mick?" Heyes asked in concern.

"No, just haven't slept in such a comfortable bed in so long, my body's not used to it," the girl replied.

"I'm sure you'll get over that pretty quick."

"You're probably right."

Sam watched the slim figure heft the cast iron frying pan and scrape scrambled eggs out onto a platter. He leaped to his feet when she suddenly set the pan down with a clatter and exclaimed, "Ouch!" "Here, let me help you," he said, picking up the platter as she sucked a burned finger.

"I can do it," she replied. "I just scorched my finger is all!"

"I can't help it if my mama raised me to be a gentleman," the wrangler retorted, placing the platter on the table, then doing the same with the plates of bacon and fried potatoes.

"Fine, just get out of the way so I can get the biscuits out of the oven!"

When she clanged the oven door shut and stood up with the sheet of hot biscuits, Sam stood holding a towel-lined bowl to receive them. She glared at him, but then silently put the breads one by one into the bowl, then took the bowl from him to place it on the table. He, in the meantime, pulled out a chair and held it for her. She frowned and looked like she was going to snap at him again, but all she said was, "Thank you," as she took the offered chair.

Heyes and Curry exchanged amused looks at this interchange and then immediately became busy with serving themselves food as the girl gunslinger turned her glare on them.

"So, Mick, can we show you around the ranch today?" Heyes asked.

"I'd like that, Heyes, but, if possible, I'd love to have a bath first and change into some clean clothes - - these I'm wearing could probably stand up on their own!"

"Of course you would. You're gonna love the bathroom - - I know I'd never seen anything like it."

"As long as it's got hot water, that's all I ask."

"That it definitely does have."

Between the four of them, they polished off every scrap of food and leaned back in their chairs, replete.

"That was delicious, Mick," Sam said. "Thank you."

"Yeah, thanks, Mick," the other two echoed.

"It was nothing - - breakfast is a snap," she replied modestly. "Now, I'll just take care of these dishes before my bath."

"You'll do nothing of the sort," disputed the former outlaw leader. "Take your bath and we'll take care of the dishes."

"Are you sure?"

"It's the least we can do in exchange for the meal."

"You're spoiling me."

"Only because it's your first day here - - after today you're just another one of us."

"Sounds like a deal. Let me run upstairs for my saddlebags and then you can show me this amazing bathroom."

"Your mama raised you to be a gentleman, eh, Sam?" Curry teased.

"Yes, she did, and just because Mick dresses like a man doesn't mean she shouldn't be treated like a lady," the wrangler retorted.

"Uh-huh. Just remember, this lady won't slap you if she takes offense, she'll shoot you!" the blond gunslinger laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind," Sam promised.

Cleaner than she'd been in a long time and quite refreshed, Mick abandoned the bathroom only to find the house completely empty. Assuming the three men had gone outside to care for the horses, she ran upstairs to collect her hat and gunbelt. She hesitated a moment, her hand paused above the gun, but then she tightened her lips, remembering a time when she had naively assumed she was safe and had been proven violently wrong - - she refused to be caught so unprepared again. She resolutely buckled on the silver-ornamented hardware around her hips.

Voices and knickers of horses from the barn instantly told her where everyone was. She stopped in the doorway, suddenly unsure of herself, when she saw that all the activity was centered around two strange horses being groomed, though she couldn't immediately see their riders. She thought about turning around and going back to the house before anyone saw her, but Heyes was too quick. "Mick!" he called. "Come over and meet Brigitte and Mary."

Thus caught she had no choice but to move forward and get the inevitable introductions over with.

A curious face topped by flaming red hair peered over the former outlaw's shoulder. A bright smile split her face as she stepped around Heyes, her hand extended. "Welcome, Mick, I'm Brigitte O'Reilly. Joshua and Thaddeus have told us so much about you, but we'd near given up on you coming around."

"I've heard a lot about you, too, Brigitte," Mick replied, giving the hand a firm squeeze, although she had to look up to meet the vivid green eyes. Then, with the unnerving stare she'd perfected as a gunslinger, she examined the woman. She marveled that Brigitte was dressed very similarly to herself - - black trousers, though hers were tucked into tall black boots, and her shirt was white under her winter coat, and she wore a six-gun strapped around her hips, too. A hat dangled from its strings down her back and Mick was willing to bet it was black, too. She noticed that the other girl was looking her up and down, too.

"That's some fancy rig you've got there, Mick," Brigitte said in admiration. She thought it rather incongruous that this small woman with the raggedly cut blond hair, smooth complexion, and fine features could ever be mistaken for a man, or even a boy, much less be a dangerous killer. However, she knew very well that looks could be deceiving.

"It does its job," was the other's reply. "Are you any good with that hardware _you're _wearing?"

"I'm a good shot, but I'm still not very fast. I've been practicing every day since Thaddeus showed me how."

"It took me a solid year of practicing hours and hours every day to get my speed and then Thaddeus showed me a trick, or two, also, that helped."

"Maybe we could go practice together sometime and you could give me your opinion?"

"I'd like that."

"I hate t'break up this lady gunslinger party, but Mary'd like t'meet Mick, too," Heyes interjected in amusement.

"How inconsiderate of me! Mick, this is my sister, Mary."

"It's wonderful to finally meet you, Mick," Mary said graciously. She took the offered hand and her warm smile slipped.

"Is anything wrong?" Mick asked.

"Oh, no, it's just I'm so sorry about your husband and baby! I don't think I could have survived it."

"Thank you." Mick's eyes clouded over. "For a long time I almost didn't survive."

"I hope you soon feel at home here so you can finally heal," Mary said softly and with feeling.

Mick's eyes widened in surprise as she exclaimed, "You have _the Sight_, don't you? My grandmother had it. My father used to tell me stories about her all the time."

"No, not the Sight, fortunately - - I wouldn't want that burden. I just feel people's pain," Mary explained.

"Oh." Mick looked down uncomfortably as a blush rose up her cheeks.

"Hey, don't worry about it, Mick - - you'll soon get used t'not havin' any emotional privacy!" Heyes teased.

"Joshua!" Mary protested.

"Not to break up this gabfest," Sam interrupted. "But, Mick, your mare is showing signs of being in foal."

"Yes, she is," the diminutive gunslinger agreed. "Beauty came into season right about the time I decided to come up here so I figured, why not? She'll foal in the spring."

"That's great, Mick - - it'll be the first foal born in our partnership," Heyes exclaimed with a joyful smile.

"Well, I'd like to see those vaunted mustangs of yours, Sam."

"I'd be pleased to show you my half-broke string out in the paddock and then maybe later we could take a ride out to look at the wild herd."

"I guess I could be persuaded."

"I'm willing to bet you won't regret it - - that, in fact, you'll be impressed by them," Sam told her confidently as they left the barn.

"Let's not leap to conclusions," was the last the others heard.

"How . . . when did she get here?" Brigitte blurted when the other two were out of earshot.

"We spotted her horses outside the saloon when we were loadin' our supplies. She was askin' George questions about us an' George wasn't too happy about it," Heyes explained.

"Why didn't she just come to our house like you'd told her to?"

"Mick's not much for bein' told what t'do," the outlaw leader replied with a grin. "A lot like a certain redhead I know, but it seems she's a little shy, too."

"Well, why didn't you bring her over instead of bringing her up here? She's got a reputation to look out for, too."

"That would be true if anyone but us knew the Silver Kid's a woman, but since they don't it probably would've raised more eyebrows if a known gunslinger was stayin' at your place - - you an' Mary helpless women an' all."

"Now who d'ye think ye're callin' helpless, boyo?" Brigitte demanded with her hands on her hips, green eyes flashing.

"I know you can shoot that gun, Brigitte, but . . . " the former outlaw began, suddenly serious.

"But shootin' at a target an' facin' an opponent who shoots back are two different things," Curry finished, equally somber.

"You don't think I could?"

"No, I ain't sayin' that, Brigitte, but I hope more'n anythin' you never hafta find out."

"But if it comes down to it - - don't hesitate," Heyes advised.

"I'm getting some mixed messages here," the girl said, looking back and forth between dark and blue eyes.

"Mixed is the only way it can be, Brigitte," Curry said sadly. "You wear that thing on your hip and people are gonna expect you're ready to use it, so you gotta be prepared t'defend yourself, your loved ones, to take another human being's life if you have to, while at the same time doin' the best you can to avoid needin' to."

"Don't worry, Thaddeus, Joshua, I can do whatever needs to be done."

"I know you can, Brigitte," Heyes assured her. "But what needs to be done now is finishin' these horses and then findin' good places t'stash those rifles and ammo we bought."

"Stash them? Aren't you just going to put them in a cabinet in the house?"

"And what if trouble comes when we're not in the house?" asked Curry.

"We have our handguns."

"Yes, and that's why the rifles are the same caliber, if you find yourself only in need of ammunition."

"Oh, that's good thinking."

"Do you really think all this is necessary?" Mary asked apprehensively.

"No, probably not, Mary," Heyes replied. "But when I ran the Devil's Hole gang I always made my plans based on what if the worst happens so we'd always be prepared."

"Heyes is real good with 'what ifs', Mary," Curry put in wryly while putting a comforting arm around the worried girl's shoulders. "But his plannin' ahead saved our hides more times than I can count so if he thinks it's a good idea, you can bet good money it is."

"An' I'm not just thinkin' of people trouble, Mary, but also the possibility of scavenging wildlife, especially if there's a hard winter," Heyes explained further.

"Oh, well, I can certainly see that. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get busy or there'll be no dinner today."

"This kind of thing is hard on Mary," Brigitte commented once her sister was out of earshot. "She hates violence, even the thought of violence upsets her."

"Neither of us likes it either, Brigitte, and hopefully these preparations will be useful in preventing it. Let's get to it."

Brigitte noticed Curry still looking towards the house, concern reflected in his blue eyes. "She'll be all right, Thaddeus, just give her a little time to sort her feelings out."

With obvious reluctance, Curry turned back to the job at hand and they soon had Brigitte's and Mary's horses comfortably stabled and all of the rest of them fed and watered.

The rest of the morning, until dinnertime, was spent finding safe places for the rifles that were easily accessible in an emergency. Two were placed in the stable loft, four in the bunkhouse, and the last two behind the door behind the Indian blanket on the landing. The ammunition was divided between the locations.

Satisfied that they'd done as much as they could for now for future emergencies, the trio headed down the spiral staircase, following the delicious smells of dinner.

"you're right on time, dinner will be ready in just a moment," Mary said when they entered the kitchen.

"I'll set the table," Brigitte volunteered.

"Thank you, Brigitte."

Moments later Sam and Mick came in the kitchen door. "I'll grant you your mustangs are nice horses, but they'll never replace Thoroughbreds," Mick was saying.

"No, of course not," Sam agreed. "Not every horse is suited for the same uses, but with selective breeding, taking the best qualities of two or more breeds, just imagine what a great horse could be created!"

"Oh, so you want to play God now?"

"That's not what I'm trying to do and you know it! You're just being mulish!"

"_Mulish_?" Mick exclaimed.

"Yeah, stubborn, contrary just to be contrary - - you know, _mulish_!" Sam explained in exasperation.

"I am _not_ stubborn _or_ contrary!" the girl retorted.

As the exchange continued, Curry turned to Heyes, who was watching the whole thing with amusement, and asked, "Do you want to take back your prediction now, Heyes?"

"Are you kidding?" Heyes exclaimed in astonishment. "If we'd wagered, I'd go double or nothin'!"

"Well, I think you're crazy."

Heyes shook his dark head. "Kid, I'm beginnin' t'think all the luck you had with the ladies was just that - - luck - - cuz you sure don't understand women!"

Kid bristled. "I think I understand 'em just as well as you do, Heyes."

"What've I told you before about thinkin', Kid?"

Mary, poised to set a steaming platter of food on the table, interrupted the two sparring couples. "Do you think we can call a truce and all sit down to a pleasant dinner?"

Immediately distracted from any reply he might have made, Curry replied, "Fine by me, Mary, I'm starvin'."

Unable to resist a final jab, Heyes said, "That ain't news, Kid."

Curry refrained from comment since it was pretty much true.

All parties being in agreement, they sat to eat and turned the conversation to less controversial topics.

And so the days passed, settling into a comfortable routine, the weather remaining cold, clear, and dry.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

One day two weeks later, Heyes stepped outside with his first cup of coffee to be greeted by the sun's first rays sparkling off the season's first blanket of pristine snow. For the first few minutes he enjoyed the beauty and the silence, then a pang of disappointment struck as he realized this probably meant the end of Brigitte's and Mary's daily visits. With a deep sigh he turned back to the kitchen and rummaged in the larder for breakfast fixings.

"Why are you cookin' breakfast, Heyes?" Curry asked as he came sleepy-eyed into the kitchen.

"Look outside," was the cryptic reply.

The gunslinger took in the changed landscape. "Yeah, it snowed, so what?"

"So maybe the girls won't be able to make it up here today."

"Oh." The disappointment on Curry's face was almost comical. "I didn't think about that."

"I guess it's somethin' we'd better get used to, Kid - - this is just the first snow of winter."

"An' whose bright idea was it to wait until Spring t'get married?" the gunslinger growled.

"Mine, an' just cuz I might be regrettin' it now don't mean it wasn't the right idea."

"Yeah, well, it's gonna be a _long_ winter," Curry mourned.

"Not as long as the one we spent snowed in playin' Montana Red Dog."

"Don't even remind me of that, Heyes - - makes me sick rememberin' we were rich!"

"For just about a minute," Heyes added with another shake of his head.

"Why the sad faces?" Mick asked from the doorway.

"It snowed last night," the two ex-outlaws replied in unison.

"Usually does in winter." She walked to the door to look out at the glistening white blanket. "Personally I love the sight of fresh fallen snow."

"Yeah, it can be nice with the right company," Curry sighed.

Mick's sudden laughter startled them. "Oh, my," she giggled. "Two desperate outlaws like yourselves mopin' around like love-sick school boys is a sight to behold! I wonder what the rest of the Devil's Hole gang would think if they saw you like this?"

"Who's mopin'?" Heyes demanded in offense. "Kid might mope, but I don't!"

"Yeah, Heyes broods," Curry agreed. "An' if any of the gang laughed like you are, Mick, I'd hafta invite 'em outside for a little lessonin' like only Kid Curry can give."

"Well, I hate to be the bearer of good new, but you're both moping too soon." Mick pointed out past the barn at the two horses galloping through the snow.

"All right!" Curry cheered and clapped Heyes on the shoulder happily, who responded with his own ear-to-ear grin.

The riders brought their horses to prancing stops outside the kitchen door and two rosy-cheeked faces with sparkling eyes smiled down at the three standing in the doorway.

"We hardly expected a welcoming committee!" Brigitte laughed as she swung lithely down to the ground and into Heyes' open arms.

Curry stepped forward and gallantly helped Mary dismount.

"These two fellows were near tears thinking how you two wouldn't be able to come up today," Mick explained as she casually leaned against the doorway, her arms crossed across her chest.

"Really?" Brigitte quirked an eyebrow at the dark-haired outlaw who held her. "How heart warming!"

"Mick's exaggerating, Brigitte," Heyes put in with a dark look in the girl gunslinger's direction.

"Oh, so you wouldn't have missed us then?"

"Of course we would've missed you, but . . ."

"Do I smell something burning?" Mary asked.

"_Breakfast!"_ Heyes exclaimed and ran back inside.

"Aw, Heyes, you didn't just burn breakfast!" Curry groaned.

"Seems like we arrived in the nick of time," Brigitte chuckled.

"I'd better go help him, or you all may go hungry," Mary tsked with a smile.

"Oh, would you please, Mary?" Curry begged as his stomach growled loudly.

The three women laughed at the gunslinger's woebegone expression and Mary disappeared inside where clanging pots and colorful language could be heard.

"I'll help you put the horses up," Mick offered.

"Thanks, Mick," Brigitte replied. "I was hoping to have a little private chat with you anyway."

Curry was left abandoned on the porch, though not for long as Heyes and Sam were both shooed outside by Mary.

"Don't come back until breakfast is ready - - you men have done enough damage in the kitchen already," she scolded.

"What did _I_ do?" Sam protested to the closed door.

Heyes handed Curry a steaming cup of coffee. "Don't take it personal, Sam," he advised.

"Oh, I won't - - my mother used to throw the menfolk out of the kitchen all the time, said we had no business being in a woman's domain. Braving the rolling pin to snatch tidbits was a favorite pastime for my brothers and me!"

"Sounds pretty typical."

They sipped their coffee companionably for a few moments, the hot liquid keeping the chill away.

"There's enough snow," Sam finally said. "To try out that sleigh we built."

"Wouldn't moonlight be better for a romantic sleigh ride?" Heyes teased.

"It would, but I don't fancy getting shot by Kid if I take Mary, and Brigitte would likely shoot me herself if I suggested such a thing," the wrangler replied.

"You forgot about Mick."

"Hah, no I didn't!" Sam snorted. "_She'd_ likely gut shoot me and gloat while she watched me die a slow and excruciatingly painful death!"

"I'm sure you're exaggeratin', Sam," Heyes replied.

"No, really, I get the feeling she doesn't like me too much!"

"See, Heyes, I'm not the only one," Curry put in.

Heyes tsked and shook his head, about to say something, when Curry said, "Shhh! Here she comes with Brigitte!"

"Mornin', boys," Brigitte greeted brightly. "What're you three talkin' about so secretively?"

"Nothin'," Curry replied.

"Just talking about the snow," Sam answered.

"Uh-huh, sure looked like a conversation about the weather," the redhead said in disbelief, her hands on her hips.

"Brigitte, my darlin', I was tellin' 'em about the brilliant plan I dreamed up t'rob the bank in Fort Worth!" Heyes lied glibly and put his arms around her to pull her close.

"Heyes has been dreamin' about that bank for years, Brigitte," Curry added. "Too bad he comes up with the perfect plan now that we've gone straight."

"Genius can't be rushed, Kid," the ex-outlaw leader said in his defense.

"There you go with the blarney again, Joshua! Fine, don't tell us what you were talkin' about - - _I'm_ goin' in to eat breakfast!"

"Mary threw us out and told us not to come in until she called us," Sam reported mournfully.

"Well, I'm sure she only meant you men," Brigitte began only to be interrupted by her sister informing them that breakfast was ready.

"So what were you plannin' t'do with the sleigh, Sam?" Heyes asked after their appetites had been sated.

"I thought I'd take a load of hay out to the mustangs. I don't want to spoil them so they won't forage on their own, but I want to make sure they don't leave this range in search of food," Sam explained.

"That sounds like fun. Can I come?" Brigitte asked enthusiastically.

"Sure, I could use some extra hands," the wrangler agreed.

"Great, then Mick can come, too."

"If she wants."

"Why not?" Mick shrugged.

"What about you and Thaddeus, Joshua? What are you up to today - - besides robbing the Fort Worth bank?"

"Considering the snow, today would be a good day to check out the other entrance to this valley that you said will stay open even if the main pass is closed by snow. How do we find it?" Heyes asked.

"Easy - - just follow Mary's and my tracks since we came up that way today."

"And you're sure nobody else knows about it?" Curry questioned, ever mindful of security.

"Pretty sure, although I can't vouch for all of the old timers, and the timber men who were there years ago may have found it, but since I've been using it I've seen no other tracks but mine."

"It's not the local folds we'd be worried about anyway," the gunslinger replied.

"When you go through you'll see that it's not very likely that anyone will stumble on it accidentally - - they'd have to know what they were looking for," Brigitte assured them.

"Well, once I've seen that that's the case then I'll be able to rest a little easier."

Heyes and Curry stayed around long enough after breakfast to help load the sleigh with hay before setting off on their errand, their horses kicking up sprays of snow as they galloped across the white fields.

George was sweeping out the past night's debris, the brisk morning breeze coming through the batwing doors cleansing the air of the odors of stale liquor and tobacco, when a dusty, trail worn figure pushed through those same doors. "The saloon isn't open for business yet, mister," he said.

"I'm only looking for information, if you can spare that," the stranger replied.

"What kind of information?"

"I've been on the trail for months looking for my brother and the last information I had was that he was headed here."

"Well, stranger, lots of men pass through here all the time - - how would I know your brother from any of them?" George asked, leaning on his broom.

"Oh, you'd know him if you saw him - - you see, my brother is the Silver Kid!"

The bartender's eyes opened wide. "That's not a relationship I'd be proud to claim."

The stranger looked down in discomfort. "I know what you mean, our mother and I have suffered public scorn whenever it becomes known that he's our kin and, were it not for dire need, I wouldn't be seeking him out now."

"What need is so pressing?" George asked boldly, his curiosity aroused.

"Our mother is very ill - - dying even - - and she wishes to see him one more time to try and convince him to change his evil ways! So can you tell me if he's been through here?"

"Oh, he's been through here all right! As a matter of fact, he's working a local horse ranch."

"Is that so? Can you perhaps point me in the right direction to this ranch?"

"Certainly. Go east straight out of town until you see a small road leading off to the right up into the mountains. When you get to the top you'll be able to see the ranch from there."

"Any you're certain he's still there?"

"Last time I saw him he didn't seem in any particular hurry to leave."

"Thank you, barkeep, you've been most helpful. I know our mother would thank you if she could."

"Some folk in this town will thank _you_ if you take him away with you - - Coldwater doesn't need his kind!"

"I understand. Thanks again." The stranger touched the brim of his hat with his fingers and turned back out the swinging doors.

George missed the triumphant leer on the stranger's face.

Heyes and Curry followed the hoof prints in the snow into a narrow defile that made them ride single file and which was protected from much of the snowfall by the frequent granite overhangs. The footing was good for the horses and they made quick progress.

A final sharp turn to the left brought them out onto the valley floor - - Coldwater in the distance. They rode on a short way and then turned to look back the way they'd come.

"Can you see where we came out, Kid?" Heyes asked, leaning casually on his saddle horn.

"Nope."

"Huh, pretty amazing. A person would have to be riding at just the right angle to see that there's a break there, and curious enough to ride in to see that it doesn't just end at a rock wall."

"That pretty much describes Brigitte," Curry deadpanned.

"You're so right, Kid," Heyes smiled. "I think we can consider it a pretty safe escape route, don't you?"

"Yup, but let's hope it ain't needed."

"That's_ always_ the hope, Kid."

"You up for a drink before headin' back?"

"It'd be a shame not to since we're this close."

"Race you there!"

Like carefree children they kicked their mounts into a gallop and sped across the snow covered ground, the chill wind stinging red into their cheeks and making their eyes water.

Friendly greetings were called to them as they trotted up the street to the saloon where George's sweeping had moved to the boardwalk outside. He stopped his work to lean on the broom as the two riders reined up to the hitching rail. "I'm surprised to see you two here this morning," he commented to the newcomers.

"Why's that, George?" Heyes questioned as he dismounted lithely and quickly tied his reins to the rail.

"Well, I guess I figured you'd go back on up once you'd met up with the Silver Kid's brother on the road up - - you know, to make sure he got there okay."

The two former outlaws froze, instantly alert. "Who?"

"The Silver Kid's brother," the barkeeper repeated. "Fella came in this morning, said he was the Silver Kid's brother and that their mother was dying and wanted to see him one more time to try to convince him to mend his ways. I told him how to get to your place."

"Blond hair?"

"No, it was dark."

"Gray eyes?"

George thought for a moment. "No, they were kind of yellow now you ask."

Heyes exchanged a quick look with Curry who nodded. With quick tugs they released their reins and remounted in unison. "George, go get the sheriff. Tell 'im t'round up a posse an' get to our place pronto - - Potter's gang is on its way up!"

"What gang? It was only one man!" George protested.

"Just do it, George," Curry finally spoke in a no nonsense voice.

"But how do you know it _wasn't_ the Silver Kid's brother?"

From his saddle Heyes looked grimly down on the barman. "Mick's got no family at all!" He reined his horse away and then immediately back again, causing the horse to prance impatiently. "And, George, if you _ever_ open your mouth out of turn again I'll personally see to it that it's shut permanently!" The former outlaw leader wasn't one to issue violent threats as a rule, but the anger and fear that churned his guts at that moment needed a release. "An' when I'm done I'll turn you over to Thaddeus."

The hapless George looked from one to the other, not knowing which to fear most - - the obviously furious Smith, or the silent Jones, whose icy blue glare promised as much as his partner's words.

"Get the sheriff!" Heyes repeated and the pair wheeled away, racing back the way they'd come, heedless of the pedestrians who leaped from their path.

A lone rider coming from the opposite end of town had opened his mouth to call out to them, but shut it as they were swallowed up by the distance.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Banging on the ranch's front door summoned Mary from the kitchen where she was peeling apples for supper's pie. They had never had unexpected company before and she was curious as to who it could be. She pulled open the heavy door and gasped as the muzzle of a six-gun was thrust into her face.

"Step back inside, girl," the gun wielder ordered gruffly, shoving the door wide open at the same time.

Mary's heart hammered in her throat as she stepped backward followed by the gunman and seven equally vicious looking men. "What do you want?" she demanded.

"What? No invitation to sit down? Make yourself at home? How about a cup of tea?" Nate Potter mocked.

"You come uninvited into this house, a gun in my face, don't expect graciousness," Mary retorted, her spirit rising as the initial shock wore off.

"We're looking for a man who works on this ranch. You tell us where he is and we'll leave," Potter told her.

"Who?" a thread of fear tingled along her nerves as she immediately thought of Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes.

"The Silver Kid."

"_Who?_" she repeated.

"A gunman; dresses all in black; wears lots of silver; black horse also with lots of silver."

"I don't know anybody like that," Mary stated firmly. "He certainly doesn't work here."

With the speed of a striking snake, Potter backhanded the girl viciously, sending her to the floor with a cry of both pain and shock, her hand automatically going to the red blotch on her cheek that promised a deep bruise later.

"Don't lie to me, girl!" he snarled. "The bartender in town said he works up here."

"I don't care what he told you! There is no man here that fits that description!"

The outlaw hauled her to her feet and shook her roughly. "I've trailed him all the way from New Mexico and the trail ends right here! I'm not leavin' until my business with him is finished?"

"What business is that?" Mary quavered, hoping to distract the outlaw long enough that help would arrive.

"He killed my brother an' I aim t'do the same to him! Now I hate to damage a pretty face such as yours, but you _will_ tell me what I want to know!" he said, stroking her face almost gently.

She jerked away from his hand as best she could and said, "I can't tell you what I don't know!"

Another slap sent her crashing to the floor again and a trickle of blood crept down her chin from a split lip.

The path that had been so easy and fast moving less than an hour before now seemed arduous and never-ending to Heyes and Curry as they raced to beat the gang of outlaws that would soon be threatening their loved ones. Potter's gang had an hour's head start and anxiety drove them to spur their horses on mercilessly across the white expanse that appeared to go on forever.

"Zeb, take Johnny and Bill an' search the bunkhouse an' barn. You find anybody bring 'em here. If they resist - - kill 'em!" Potter ordered. "When you're done keep watch outside an' stay outta sight."

"You got it, Nate."

After the three scruffy outlaws had gone on their mission, Nate hauled Mary to her feet again. "We been on the road a long time, girl, an' we're mighty hungry so we're all gonna go t'the kitchen an' you're gonna fix us some food."

Without its load of hay, the sleigh could travel much more quickly over the snow and the chill wind this speed created kissed roses into the passengers' cheeks and caused their eyes to sparkle.

They had found the mustang herd intact and busily pawing through the snow to reach what little forage remained. They had spread the hay in an irregular, roughly circular pattern so that the horses could feed as naturally as possible. Then they had moved a goodly distance away and focused the binoculars back and were gratified to see the boldest of the animals moving towards the feed.

They now approached the back entrance of the barn on silent runners.

"How about some target practice before dinner, Mick?" Brigitte suggested.

"I'm up for that," the lady gunslinger agreed.

"Maybe you'd like to join us, too, Sam? We can make it a three-way contest - - show you women are just as good as men."

"Hey, you don't have to convince _me_ of that, Brigitte, but I'd be happy to join you anyway. I'll put the horses up first and meet you two over at the range."

"All right. How about getting the targets set up, Mick, while I go over to the house and let Mary know - - if she suddenly starts hearing shots she'll get worried."

"Okay."

Sam pulled the horses to a stop and the three went their separate ways.

Brigitte could have been a shadow crossing the white ground cover dressed as she was in black boots, trousers, and calf-length overcoat. Her brilliant hair was covered by her black hat, which now sported the only bright object visible on her person - - a hatband of silver dollars threaded on a leather thong, made and given to her by Heyes.

She walked distractedly, her feet automatically carrying her in the right direction as she focused her attention on the thorough check she was giving her pistol.

Mary, busily occupied with preparing sandwiches for the outlaws, caught sight of her sister crossing the open space and her blood froze at the same time as her mind scrambled for some way to warn her.

One of the guards was posted just outside the kitchen door, his head turned away at the moment, but he would surely see Brigitte as soon as his attention turned back that direction. She poured a cup of coffee and moved towards the door. Her land lifted the latch and the slight noise caught Potter's attention.

"What're you doin', girl?" he demanded.

"I was just going to give the guard a cup of coffee to keep him warm," she replied.

"He's on duty, he don't need coffee."

She continued opening the top half of the door as he spoke, drawing the guard's attention to her, but just briefly she saw his eyes dart sideways towards Brigitte. Drawing a breath she screamed, "Brigitte!"

Brigitte heard her sister's scream at the same time she saw a sinister stranger step into view, drawing his gun. She felt the adrenalin rush through her veins as she reacted automatically, the hours and hours of practice paying off, snapping off a shot with the gun she already held in her hand. The satisfaction at seeing the man stagger and fall was short-lived as she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. She felt a sting on her arm before she heard the report as she swung around and fired again, gratified to see this one fall, too.

"Who the hell are these guys?" she had time to wonder before hearing Mary scream her name again. She spun back towards the kitchen door and saw her sister struggling in the arms of a third man, who held a gun against Mary's side. Brigitte tried to take aim, but she hesitated, fearing to hit her sister instead.

Potter saw the hesitation and took immediate advantage. He shoved his struggling captive roughly against the wall, dropped to one knee and fired one shot, dead center.

The four gunshot reports reverberated across the valley to the ears of the two former outlaws riding for all they were worth - - their destination in sight - - sending a frisson of fear through their veins. A fifth shot jolted them after several moments of silence.

"Hold up, Kid!" Heyes shouted, slowing his foaming horse gradually to a walk.

Curry followed suit, protesting, "But, Heyes, Mary's alone in the house - - defenseless!"

"I think you're underestimating her, Kid, but we won't be any help to her or anyone if we ride in there without knowing where Potter and his gang are. You know that."

"Yeah, I know," the gunslinger agreed reluctantly. "So what's your plan?"

"Afraid I've got nothin' brilliant for this occasion, Kid. You still got binoculars in your saddlebags?"

"Yeah."

"Let's ride up to that big, lone pine - - you know, the one by the road just before the ranch yard begins - - and I think we'll be able to get a decent view and a better sense of the situation."

The pine tree was massive, its lowest branches high enough that men and horses could shelter beneath them and its shade would keep them unseen by any who might happen to be watching.

Curry took the binoculars out of his saddlebag and trained them on the ranch house and its outbuildings. "Nothin' moving, but it looks like there's a couple of bodies in the yard." He paused and scanned the yard further. "No, wait, there's another body near the kitchen door."

"Let me see." Heyes took the glasses from his partner. He became unnaturally still and silent as he stared intently, then the binoculars fell from suddenly bloodless hands.

"Heyes?" Curry turned to his friend in concern - - his friend whose shoulders had slumped and one of his gloved hands had come up to cover his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Brigitte," came the hoarse whisper. "One of those bodies is Brigitte!"

Curry paled. "How can you tell? I couldn't tell - - they're still too far away. You must be wrong!"

Without changing his demeanor, Heyes replied, "I'm not wrong. Look again, you'll see the body in the middle of the yard has red hair. You can't see much, bit it's definitely Brigitte's hair."

Curry recovered the binoculars and looked again, focusing carefully, and saw that Heyes was right - - as usual. While he watched, a figure darted out of the barn towards the body only to be driven back by a barrage of gunfire. "Sam's in the barn. That must mean Potter and his gang are in the house! With Mary," he added needlessly. When his friend still didn't move, he put his hand on the other's shoulder and leaned close to say, "Heyes, just cuz she's laying there don't mean she's dead, but if she ain't she _will_ be if we don't _do_ somethin'!"

Heyes dropped his hand and slowly lifted his head to look his partner straight in the eyes. "Oh, we're gonna do somethin' all right," he said in a deceptively soft voice. His face was chalk white and his brown eyes burned like coals. "We warned Potter's gang they didn't want trouble with us an' now they're gonna find they've got more trouble than they bargained for! Let's get around the back of the barn an' meet up with Sam an' hopefully Mick, too, cuz we're gonna need all the fire power we can get."

Two cocked pistols greeted Heyes and Curry when they led their horses in through the narrow back door of the barn. Two grim faces relaxed minutely as they recognized the newcomers.

"Thank goodness!" Sam exclaimed. "Some outlaws are holed up in the house! They're holding Mary hostage and they've _shot_ Brigitte!"

"Yeah, we know," Heyes replied bleakly. "I'm goin' out t'bring her in."

"I _tried_, Heyes, but . . ." Sam began, ashamed of his failure.

Heyes put a gloved hand on the wrangler's shoulder. "I know, Sam, we saw. I appreciate the attempt and you did the right thing gettin' back under cover. This is for me to do."

"But they'll kill you!"

"Not if you three do your jobs."

"What job is that?"

"Cover me. Spray the house with bullets as fast as you can - - use the rifles, too, so you won't have to reload as often - - don't give them a chance to shoot back. Shoot from different places - - one of you from the loft here, one from the bunkhouse, maybe one outside from the corner of the barn - - this might give them the idea there's more of us than there really is. We've gotta move fast, though, if Brigitte isn't already . . ." he stumbled to a stop, unable to say the word.

"Let's get to it then," Curry urged.

Heyes' heart felt like a chunk of lead in his chest as he stared out at the still form of the woman he loved while he waited for the signal that everyone was in place. Even from the distance he could see the snow stained crimson with her blood, but he couldn't tell where she'd been hit, or if she still breathed. He cursed himself for thinking he could live a normal life - - that people around him, that he cared about, wouldn't be endangered because of his past. _Some genius!_ he snorted to himself.

Three short, sharp whistles pierced the air and he gathered himself to run.

In spite of the heavy barrage of cover fire that Curry, Mick, and Sam were able to lay down, the outlaws in the house still manage to get off shots of their own. Out of the corner of his eye, Curry saw the dark figure of his friend dart out of the barn towards Brigitte's still body. He watched Heyes zigzag to make himself a harder target to hit, but still saw the sprays of snow kicked up by bullets striking too close. Heyes was almost to his destination when he stumbled and fell and Curry nearly forgot to keep firing until the former outlaw was once again on his feet. He notice that Heyes took no time to check Brigitte's condition once he reached her, but simply scooped her up into his arms and dashed back to the safety of the barn. In relief, Curry let out the breath that he hadn't even known he was holding.

The silence after the gunshots faded was deafening. Curry reloaded and replaced the rifle that he had been using, also reloaded his six-gun, and then climbed down the ladder from the hayloft to help with the doctoring, or to be there to comfort a grieving friend.

Once within the safety of the barn, Heyes laid Brigitte gently in a stall on the straw bedding. He pulled open her overcoat with trembling hands and felt his heart sink at the sight of the blood that had soaked the entire front of her shirt. His normally nimble fingers stumbled awkwardly with the buttons that were wet and slippery and his clumsiness was answered by a pained moan from the injured girl. His sunken heart became more buoyant with the knowledge that she was still alive. He pulled aside the sodden mess that had been her shirt and wondered how long that would remain true.

"Is she . . .?" Curry asked, faltering over the same word Heyes had been unable to use.

"No, she's alive, but I sure don't know how - - she was shot in the chest - - dead center!"

"She won't be for long, though, if we don't get that bleedin' stopped," the gunslinger replied grimly. "There's a bag of clean rags in the tack room - - I'll bring some."

Heyes took the cloths Curry handed him and pressed them firmly over the bullet hole, eliciting another groan from Brigitte. "Shh, it's all right, Brigitte, you're gonna be fine," he soothed not know if she even heard him.

"You're - - a terrible - - liar, Joshua," Brigitte gasped weakly and Heyes looked up from his task into her emerald eyes that were dulled now by pain.

"I would never lie to you, Brigitte," the former outlaw assured her.

She snorted and then squeezed her eyes tight shut as a spasm of pain resulted.

"Shhh, Brigitte, save your strength. We'll get Dr. Barty up here as soon as we can!"

She shook her head slightly and opened her eyes again to look up at Curry. "I - - hesitated, Thaddeus. I wanted to - - help Mary, but - - some man was holding her - - hiding - - behind her and I - - I was afraid - - to shoot - - afraid I'd miss!"

Curry took one of her hands in his. "You did the right thing, Brigitte," he assured her. "I wouldn't have take a shot like that either. Don't you think killin' two of 'em is enough?"

She shook her head again. "They still have Mary."

"Don't worry, we'll get her back."

"Who . . .?" she managed but couldn't finish.

"It's Luke Potter's gang, only now their leader is Nate Potter, Luke's younger brother. He's lookin' for revenge." Heyes explained wihle he gently brushed a tendril of red hair off her forehead.

"Then I'll call him out and get this settled once and for all, that way no one else has to get hurt," Mick put in from the stall doorway.

"No, you won't," Curry told her bluntly.

"Why? Don't you think I can beat him?" she asked pugnaciously.

"I know you _could_ if it was a fair fight," the blond gunslinger retorted. "But Nate Potter is a back-shootin' snake who won't stand up for a fair fight! Oh, he'll say he will, but as soon as you step outside, he'll gun you down! I'm willin' t'bet he was the one who shot Brigitte while hidin' behind Mary."

"Kid's right, Mick," Heyes said in support of his partner. "We're gonna need a plan. We can't just bust in there, cuz Mary'll most likely get hurt."

"Not t'mention Brigitte built this place like a fortress," Curry put in.

Heyes felt a slight squeeze on his hand and turned his attention back to the wounded girl. Her face was beaded with sweat even in the chill air and her breaths were shallow gasps. "Joshua," she whispered. "The escape routes - - sneak in the escape routes."

Heyes' eyes brightened. "You're brilliant, Brigitte - - I'd forgotten those!"

"You - - would've - - remembered," she assured him with the shadow of a smile.

"I'm gonna hafta leave you for a while t'take care of this. Hang on, okay? Wait for me," he told her with a hint of desperation in his voice.

"I'll try," she promised. "And, Joshua - - no, _Heyes_ \- - kill them all - - for me!"

Heyes couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips and the twinkle returned to his eyes. "That's my blood-thirsty girl!" he approved and bent to give her cold, pale lips a soft, lingering kiss. When he pulled away, her eyes had closed and he felt a moment of panic until he saw her chest still rising and falling unevenly. "Mick, Sam, will you two stay with Brigitte?"

"Sure, Joshua," Sam replied immediately.

"Now wait a minute," Mick protested. "I want a hand in taking these guys!"

"Don't worry, Mick, we won't leave you out - - I just need t'figure out the best way so Mary doesn't get hurt in the process," Heyes assured her.

Mollified, Mick nodded, "All right."

Heyes climbed slowly to his feet, a sharp intake of breath sounding loudly in the stall as he placed his weight on his left leg. He leaned against the stall wall to remove most of his weight from the offended limb.

"What's wrong, Heyes?" Curry demanded and moved towards his friend, his eyes searching for the source of Heyes' pain. "You've been shot!" he exclaimed seeing the expansive crimson stain from the middle of his partner's thigh and disappearing down into his boot.

"It's nothing - - just a graze," Heyes replied dismissively.

"Graze, or not, you've lost a lot of blood while you sat there jawing! Sit down and let me look at it," the gunslinger ordered.

"Kid, we don't have _time_ for this," the injured man protested.

"You'll have plenty of time after you bleed to death! Now sit _down_ and let me look at it, or I'll hafta put you down!"

"No need t'get proddy, Kid," Heyes soothed while sliding down the wall to sit as instructed.

Curry pulled out his knife and cut the hole in the trousers wider so he could get a good look at the wound. "Well, you're right, it's just a graze," he said as he examined the deep gouge that still bled. "But if it don't get bandaged you'll be passin' out when you're supposed t'be comin' up with a plan!"

"Fine, fine, bandage it then," the darker man growled in surrender. "Just make it quick so we can get our house back an' get a doctor for Brigitte."

"Now who's gettin' proddy?" Curry tsked while he folded more of the clean rags into an absorbent pad, which he placed over the wound. He took took others and tied their ends together so they would be long enough to go around Heyes' leg and hold the pad firmly in place.

Heyes winced as Curry tightened the bandage and tied it off. "Do you have to be so rough?"

Curry rolled his eyes and replied, "It _has_ to be tight so the pressure will help stop the bleedin'."

"Yeah, yeah, are you finished?"

"For now." Curry bit back the words he wanted to say, that Heyes should sit and rest his leg, because he knew they would just be ignored and he knew he would do the same in Heyes' position.

"Give me a hand up, Kid." Heyes stretched up his hand and Curry tugged him to his feet, supporting him on his left side until he was sure his partner could stand on his. Together they hobbled out of the stall to confer privately.

"So what've y'got in mind, Heyes?" Curry asked when they were out of earshot of the others.

"First I'm gonna talk t'Potter - - give 'im a chance t'clear out," the former outlaw leader replied.

"_Clear out?"_ the gunslinger exclaimed, appalled. "After what they done, you'd give 'em a chance t'clear out?"

"Calm down, Kid, we ain't gonna let 'em get away," Heyes soothed. "You know Potter ain't gonna take the offer anyway - - he's too dead-set on revenge. While I'm talkin', do you think you can sneak over there an' size up the situation?"

"Sure."

"Don't try anything by yourself, okay? Just check it out and come straight back. There'll be less chance of any of _us_ gettin' hurt if we all go in at once."

"Don't worry, Heyes, this won't be the first time I've scouted out a situation," Curry snorted in offense.

"Yeah, I know, but this time your heart's involved."

"Just get your silver tongue waggin', Heyes, an' let me do my part!"

Curry slipped silently away as Heyes cracked open the barn door and shouted, "Potter! Nate Potter! I'm givin' you thirty minutes t'get your horses an' get off my property!"

"I ain't leavin' 'til I get what I come for!" a voice from the house shouted back. "the Silver Kid killed my brother an' I ain't leavin' 'til he's dead!"

"I was there when your brother was killed, Potter, an' it was a fair fight. You got no right to revenge. I told your men then that they didn't wanna have a problem with me an' my partner an' they wouldn't if they just let the matter drop whatever the result. Now you've gone and started a problem with us, Potter."

"An' just who the hell are you that I should care?" the voice from the house sneered.

"Ask your men, they'll tell you."

There was a long silence from the house before Potter yelled, "You tryin' t'tell me you an' your partner are Hannibal Heyes an' Kid Curry?"

"That's what I'm tellin' you an' you're trespassin' on our property! Furthermore, you shot someone who is completely innocent of any involvement in this, and you're holdin' another innocent hostage."

"This ain't Devil's Hole!"

"Very good, Potter," Heyes said sarcastically. "Me an' the boys came down t'Colorado t'let the Hole cool off for a spell. Now, you've got this one chance t'get outta here before the rest of the gang gets here, or forget leavin' t'anywhere but the undertakers!"

"We could hold off an army in here, Heyes."

"So you think, but are you willin' t'bet yours an' your men's lives on it?"

"I doubt y'all are gonna do anythin' t'risk harm comin' t'this little lady in here," Potter threatened.

"Use whatever brains you got, Potter - - though word had it Luke had all the brains in your outfit - - if you hurt the girl we won't have any reason not t'burn the house down with you in it!"

"You wouldn't burn your own house down!" Potter scoffed.

"If it gets rid of you, why not? Houses can be rebuilt," Heyes replied nonchalantly, even though the mere thought of the house burning left him sadly forlorn. "Y'know, Potter," he mused out loud. "You oughta be grateful to the Silver Kid."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"How else would ever get t'be leader of the gang? Don't tell me it don't feel good t'not have Luke tellin' you what t'do."

"Shut up, Heyes! Luke was my brother!"

"Sure he was. Let me ask you this, though - - how much of the take from their jobs while you were in prison did Luke put aside for you?"

Silence.

"Well, I can tell you Kid would've put _my_ share aside if _I_ had been in prison an' he ain't even blood kin! The Silver Kid killed Luke an' the others t'get revenge on them killin' his entire family an' leavin' him for dead. Now the way I see it, Luke got what he deserved, justice has been done, that's where it should end."

"Fine, you're the leader now, but I can promise you this - - the only place you're leadin' 'em is straight to Boot Hill! Now you've got that half hour I mentioned t'get on your horses an' get out of here before we come in after you."

"Go t'blazes, Heyes!"

"Have it your way - - the clock's tickin'."

Curry slipped back into the barn and hunkered down next to his partner at the opposite door. "Shouldn't be too hard t'take em down, Heyes," he reported.

"Where are they?" Heyes questioned.

"Mary's in the kitchen with two of the gang."

"Is she tied up or anything?"

"No, an' they ain't payin' her any attention either. She's sittin' on the floor, cryin', probably thinkin' Brigitte's dead."

"Could you take those two while keepin' Mary out of harms way?"

Curry snorted. "Nothin' easier. Ain't a one of Potter's gang any good with a gun."

"Anybody can get lucky, Kid," Heyes chided.

"They'll need more than luck t'get past me especially with Mary involved," the gunslinger replied grimly, his eyes becoming blue ice.

"Where's Potter and the rest then?"

"In the front. Potter's at the door yellin' at you an' the other two are on look out at the dining room window."

"Good thinkg Brigitte lowered the odds for us by shootin' two of 'em - - would've been harder dealin' with all seven of 'em, but I think we can get this done without too much trouble. Let's go back to the other and I'll explain my plan." He climbed to his feet, wincing, his hand against the wall to help support his wounded leg, a single look warning Curry away from helping him. The limb nearly collapsed under him as he took his first step, but he persisted and managed to limp back to the stall.

Brigitte lay as they'd left her Mick and Sam sitting one on each side of her, neither one speaking. Mick was cleaning her gun with a grim attention to detail that was rivaled only by Curry's, while Sam alternated between watching her and checking on Brigitte, his worried expression the same for both.

"How is she, Sam?" Heyes asked, though he could see for himself.

"No change - - she's still hanging on, but she hasn't regained consciousness since you left."

Heyes sighed then got down to business. "I gave Potter a half hour t'get him an' his men outta here, which gives us just that much time t'get 'em dealt with. The sheriff and a posse are on their way and I want it all t'be over by the time they get here that way we don't have the sheriff demandin' we take 'em alive t'stand trial. None of them leaves here alive. Does anyone have a problem with that?"

"Only problem I'd've had was if you'd said to take 'em alive, Heyes," Mick responded fiercely, putting the last cartridge in her gun and shutting the cylinder.

"No, no problem," Sam agreed, though with less enthusiasm than the girl across from him.

"Sam, your part in my plan won't involve killin' anyone, but it's a vital part in spite of that. I need you to stay here an' keep Potter an' his men's attention in this direction. You'll do that by takin' random potshots at the house - - not constant, you'll want to space them out irregularly to keep them on their guard. Can you do that?"

"Sure, Heyes, no problem."

"Mick, while Sam's keepin' 'em distracted, you, me, an' the Kid are gonna sneak into the house. Kid, you'll take care of the two in the kitchen like we talked about an' get Mary down into the cellar right away. Mick, you an' me will come out the secret door on the landing an' take Potter an' the other two by surprise. We'll wait 'til we hear your shots, Kid - - just give us enough time t'get into place."

Curry nodded silently, his mind already gearing up for the task ahead.

"You sure you're up to this, Heyes?" Sam asked. "You really shouldn't be on that leg."

"Oh, I'm up to it all right," the former outlaw replied in a soft deadly voice. "Okay, one more thing before we move out - - Kid, can you put a bullet through the bottom left corner of the dining room window?"

"Are you kiddin', Heyes?" Curry exclaimed.

"No, but if you can't, I guess anywhere will do."

"When have I missed what I was aimin' at?" the gunslinger demanded, offended.

"Well, you ain't been gettin' much practice lately - - only an hour or so a day - - so I wondered if your aim might be off."

"My aim ain't _never_ been off, Heyes, an' you know it," Curry huffed. "Come on!"

"Just a minute." Heyes took off his coat and laid it over Brigitte, tucking it securely around her. Curry removed his sheepskin jacket, too, and handed it wordlessly to his partner to give her another layer of warmth. "All right, let's go."

The four trooped to the barn door, which Curry cracked open slightly and took careful aim. The gunshot report was followed quickly by the sound of breaking glass and a curse. "Might've hit somebody, Heyes," Curry commented.

"All the better," his partner growled.

"What th'hell was that for, Heyes?" Potter yelled from the house. "It ain't been half an hour!"

"Just remindin' you that Kid Curry ain't only the fastest gun in theWest, he's also extremely accurate - - just in case you might be thinkin' your odds wouldn't be so bad if you decided _not_ to take me up on my offer," Heyes shouted back and then said to Sam in a softer voice, "Okay, Sam, now you wait a few minutes before you shoot again - - remember, space 'em out, keep 'em guessing."

"You got it, Heyes," Sam replied. "Good luck to you all."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Kid Curry led the way followed by Mick with Heyes painfully bringing up the rear. Using available cover they made their way to the back entrance of the cellar and descended into the darkness.

"There's a lantern right here," Curry informed the others and struck a match to light it. He turned the flame down low, just so there was enough light for them to see their way.

About halfway down the passage they came to a ladder affixed to the wall and leading to the upper floor of the house. "There's your way up," Curry said, stating the obvious. "You sure you can do this, Heyes?"

"Of course I can, Kid," Heyes snapped. "You worry about your part an' I'll take care of mine."

"All right, no need t'bite my head off!"

"Sorry, Kid, I'm just a little on edge."

"I know, so'm I. I"ll give you two ten minutes t'get in place before I make my move."

"Ten minutes? I ain't decrepit, Kid."

"I didn't say you was, but you _are_ hurt an' you've gotta climb straight up two floors an' I don't wanna start shootin' 'til I'm sure you're ready. You get there sooner, take a nap!"

Heyes gestured for Mick to go ahead of him and as soon as he lifted his leg to take the first step he knew he was going to need every one of those ten minutes. He grit his teeth against the pain and used the muscles of his arms to take some of the weight off his wounded leg, even so he was panting and perspiring when he finally hauled himself onto the floor of the inner passageway. To his relief he saw Mick standing by waiting for him, arms across her chest. "Thanks for waiting, Mick," he gasped out.

"I'm patient, Heyes, as you should know. Besides, your plan is good."

"Oh - - well, thanks."

"We haven't much time left, though - - let me help you up."

Heyes looked at the hand she offered and swallowed his pride. Her grip was strong and she stood firm as she helped pull him to his feet.

"You're still bleeding," she commented.

"Yeah, so's Brigitte, only worse, so let's get this done!" Heyes growled and limped quietly down the passage.

The latch opened with a barely audible _snick_ and Heyes peered cautiously around the edge of the blanket, then pulled back. "We need t'get to the cover of the hall's walls, but to do that we'll be exposed a few seconds. At Sam's next shot, while their attention is hopefully outside, head to the right and I'll head to the left - - keep low and don't make any sudden moves that might catch their attention. All right?"

"Got it."

"Be sure t'hold your fire 'til we hear Kid's shots."

The lady gunslinger nodded tersely.

They didn't have to wait long as Sam's next shot shattered the window where one of the outlaws stood, narrowly missing him. Between his yelp of consternation, the tinkling of broken glass on the wooden floor, and the flurry of return shots from Potter and his men, they had more than enough cover to duck out without being seen.

"Hold your fire, boys!" Potter ordered and the shots died away. "I know what Heyes is up to. He figures t'run us out of ammunition so he can just waltz on in here. So no more shootin' without a live target!"

"You got it, boss."

"Bill, go tell the boys in the kitchen."

Mick tossed a questioning look across at Heyes, who shrugged slightly and smiled.

As Kid Curry counted out the ten minutes, he eased the kitchen door open a crack to assess the lay of the land. Mary, he saw, was sprawled almost within arm's reach, her cheeks stained with tears. Curry had to fight back the anger that urged him to burst in right then and beat the outlaws to death with his bare hands.

Said outlaws had their backs to him as they kept their eyes on the barn, oblivious of the more serious and immediate danger that lurked behind them.

Curry scratched softly on the plank floor hoping to catch Mary's attention without startling her, but got no reaction. He ground his teeth in frustration, not wanting to start shooting with her unaware thus putting her in further danger. He breathed a sigh of relief when another of Potter's gang came in giving orders loudly.

"Pst! Mary!" he whispered. "Don't move, just listen. When I bust in there you high-tail it through this door an' stay in here 'til I come get you. Okay?"

Very slightly, Mary nodded.

Kid knew the ten minutes he had given Heyes were up and he also knew his partner would be getting impatient, but he held off until the outlaws appeared relaxed again.

Curry flung the door open and it hit the wall with a loud bang, startling the two outlaws, who spun quickly around as the gunslinger lunged into the room, his six-gun leaping into his hand, belching flame as he squeezed off two quick shots that found their targets with deadly accuracy.

The Kid caught sight of a feeble movement from one of the fallen men and with one long stride he was beside him, kicking the gun away from the hand that sought to raise it for a final shot. His icy eyes stared down at the outlaw gasping out his life on the kitchen floor and he said, "Heyes an' I warned you not t'start trouble with us, didn't we? Shoulda listened."

At the sound of the shots, Heyes and Mick went into action, each of their first shots taking down an unlucky outlaw. To their consternation, Potter dove for cover behind the sofa.

"Your men are dead, Potter, you're all alone an' a posse's on the way!" Heyes called down the stairs. "Give it up!"

"Ain't gonna happen, Heyes!" came the reply.

"Then you're gonna die here just like your men!"

"Beats a rope. Maybe I'll take down the Silver Kid first!"

Before Heyes could formulate another reply, Mick called down to the trapped outlaw, "You think you can take the Silver Kid in a fair fight, Potter? That's what your brother thought, too!"

"No, Mick!" Heyes hissed.

"This is _my_ fight, Heyes - - it's my fault they came here so you have to let me finish it!" she whispered back. "I can take him!"

"_If_ he fights fair . . ."

"You'll be here to back me up if he cheats. Let me finish this, Heyes!"

"I'm faster than my brother so let's do it!" Potter shouted.

"I'm comin' out, Potter," Mick called. "It's time for you to join your brother in hell!"

"I'll take you with me!" retorted the outlaw.

Heyes cocked his pistol and nodded to Mick, his lips pressed grimly together.

Mick checked that her gun was fully loaded then stood, stepping warily into full view at the top of the staircase. Potter stood and stepped away from the sofa - - his hand poised close to the butt of his pistol.

"I'm coming down, Potter," Mick declared.

"I'm waitin'," was the gruff reply.

Mick took a careful step, followed by another, staying ever alert. Between one step and another she saw Potter's hand twitch and all hell broke loose. Potter's gun fired first and Mick felt a burn across her upper arm as she fired just a fraction of a second later, which was followed by two other shots in quick succession. Potter's body jerked spastically from the impact of three separate bullets before it crash lifelessly to the floor.

Released from tension, Mick felt suddenly tired and she sank down to sit on a stair. She felt warm liquid trickling down her arm and the burn became a throbbing pain. She holstered her gun and tugged her bandana off and pressed it to the wound.

"You're hurt, Mick?" Heyes asked anxiously as he stepped onto the landing, smoke still wisping out of the barrel of his gun.

"Just a graze," she grunted. "I don't understand how he beat me!"

"Cuz he cheated, Mick," Curry replied coming into the room and crossing to the body, his gun smoking also.

"How? I saw him draw."

"You only _thought_ you saw him draw - - his holster's on a swivel so he don't even need t'clear leather!"

"_What?_ I've never heard of such a thing!" the girl gunslinger gasped. Ignoring the throb in her arm, she hurried down the stairs to examine the dead man's holster. "This is an amazing idea! If I'd've had one of these I could have save myself a year of practicing!"

"It's _cheating_, Mick - - just plain murder, if you ask me!" Curry replied in disgust. "Not to mention impractical the way it's gonna swing this way an' that an' you never knowin' exactly where it is at any moment - - it's only good if you're standin' still."

Heyes painfully reached the bottom of the stairs and limped past the two conferring gunslingers and the dead body with barely a glance. His boots crunched over the broken glass and he pulled open the front door. He waved an 'all clear' to Sam in the barn before stepping off the porch. His sharp eyes caught sight of a large group of riders approaching, but he ignored them, his only purpose to get to Brigitte's side.

His anxious eyes locked with Sam's at the barn door and the wrangler hurried to reassure him, "She's still alive, Heyes!"

Some of the weight lifted from his shoulders as he limped as quickly as he could to the injured girl's side. She lay deathly still, her face paler than when he'd left, but he could see her chest rise and fall, albeit shallowly. "Brigitte?"

Her eyes flickered and opened at the sound of his voice. "Joshua? Did you get them?"

"We got them - - they're all dead! Mary's fine, too."

She sighed with a little smile. "That's good."

"I need to take you into the house now so we can look after your wound, but I'm afraid it's going to hurt you more."

"It's okay, Joshua."

"I'll be as gentle as I can." He leaned over and wrapped one of her arms around his neck. "Hold on to me as tight as you can." He felt her arm tighten a bit and he worked his arms carefully under her shoulders and knees. Ever so carefully, ignoring the stabbing complaints from his own leg, Heyes got to his feet, Brigitte's head lolling to his shoulder.

"Can I help?" Sam asked anxiously.

"I've got her. Posse's comin', though, so maybe you can get them to help you get that filth out of our house!"

"Sure thing, Joshua!"

Step by painful step, Heyes carried Brigitte out of the barn and into the yard just as the posse was reining in. "What the devil?" he heard Sheriff Taylor exclaim as he saw the bodies sprawled in the yard - - the bloodstained snow. He vaguely heard Sam begin to explain and then a very familiar face caught his eye. "_Lom?"_ he exclaimed, confused. "Did Thaddeus telegraph you again?"

"No, nothing like that, Joshua," the lawman replied. His keen eyes didn't miss the bloodstained shirt of the girl in his friend's arms. "But we can talk later. The doctor's coming behind us."

Relief shone in the worried brown eyes. "Thanks, Lom."

Mary met Heyes at the door, her face as deathly pale as Brigitte's except for the bruises from Potter's blows, and panic was plain in her eyes. "There's so much pain, Joshua, from everywhere, from everyone! I can't tell if Brigitte is . . ." she choked.

"Brigitte's alive, Mary," Heyes assured her. "The doctor's on his way."

Had she not been holding the door jam, Mary might have collapsed from relief, but instead she pulled herself together and said, "Let's get her settled in her room then."

Climbing the stairs nearly did Heyes in as his leg throbbed and threatened to give way, yet he persevered and managed to get the unconscious girl safely settled on her bed. He helped Mary, whose hands trembled like aspen leaves, remove Brigitte's coat, gunbelt and boots so that she could rest more comfortably.

"She's lost so much blood, Joshua!" Mary whispered as she stared at the once white now crimson shirt, her voice choked with unshed tears.

"But she's still alive, Mary, so that's _gotta_ count for something!" Heyes tried to reassure her and himself at the same time.

"I just hope Father gets here soon!"

Left to himself with a posse of lawmen, Kid Curry fought down his instinctive anxiety knowing that for once they were here on his side. A familiar face in the crowd caused his eyebrows to raise. "Howdy, Lom! Sure didn't expect t'see you here today!" he greeted.

"Not exactly the welcoming party I'd expected, either," the lawman replied, extending his hand. "Although I don't know why I should be surprised - - you boys just seem to draw trouble!"

"Ain't that the truth!" the gunslinger admitted wryly, shaking the hand. "This wasn't none of our doin', though, we were just protectin' our home!"

"I'd like to hear all about it," Sheriff Taylor interjected, coming up behind the two old friends, Sam trailing behind him.

"Can't say I'm not a bit curious myself," Lom agreed.

"Can we get this trash taken out first?" Curry asked.

"I'll have my men take care of that while we sit down and you fill me in."

"Okay. Besides those three, there's two more in the kitchen an' you probably saw the other two outside."

"Seven? Not a bad day's work!"

"Brigitte took out two by herself before we got here. The two in the kitchen are mine; Joshua an' Mick got the two of these an' all three of us took out Potter. Not without our own wounded," he added sadly.

"I saw Joshua with Brigitte - - is it bad?" the sheriff asked.

"Bullet dead center in the chest, but she's holdin' on. Heyes took a bullet t'the leg an' Mick here got grazed in the arm. Me an' Sam got lucky."

"In _your_ case, Thaddeus, I doubt luck had much to do with it," Lom contradicted. "I don't believe I've met your friends here."

"Nor I," Sheriff Taylor agreed.

"This here's Sam Adamson - - he's come t'be our foreman. Joshua an' me met him while we were sheriffin' in Coleville. An' this little lady is Mick Calahan, our partner in this ranch."

The two lawmen took in Mick's attire and silver studded hardware - - two sets of eyes narrowing. Mick caught the look and said, "You might know me better as the Silver Kid, and I'm the reason this scum came here in the first place!"

"_You're_ the Silver Kid? Why you're just a . . ."

"Ain't no 'justs' about Mick, sheriff," Curry hastened to intervene as he saw the angry narrowing of Mick's eyes. "I've seen her in action more than once an' she's the real deal!"

"Okay, okay, we're going to need to start at the beginning - - I feel a long story coming on!" Coldwater's sheriff was clearly out of his depth.

"Mary was here alone when it all started," Sam put in. "Maybe you should start with her."

"Good idea," Curry agreed. "I'll go get her."

Mary was just closing Brigitte's door quietly behind her as Curry got there. She leaned against the door and took a deep breath.

"Are you okay, Mary?" Curry asked, immediately concerned. "Is it Brigitte?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "Brigitte's still alive, although for the life of me I can't explain how considering how much blood she's lost! Joshua's staying with her."

"You up t'talkin' to the sheriff 'bout what happened?"

"Of course, Thaddeus, I'm _fine_."

Curry cupper her face in his hands, gently running his thumb across the vivid bruise on her cheek and frowned at her swollen, split lip. "I could've killed 'im with my bare hands for doin' this to you, Mary! A bullet was too good for him!"

She sighed. "I wish none of it had to happen at all!"

"Well, wishin' won't fix what's already done, so we just gotta move on from here. Let's go talk t'the sheriff." He put his arm around her and snugged her close as they headed downstairs.

The three men stood respectfully as Curry escorted the girl into the living room.

"Sorry to have to bother you at this time, Mary," Sheriff Taylor apologized. "But it's best if I get my report made while it's still fresh."

"It's quite all right, sheriff, I understand," Mary replied as she sat, organizing her skirts neatly around her.

"Why don't you tell us in your own words how this mess all started?"

"Well, I was in the kitchen baking a pie when I heard banging on the door. I was curious who might be visiting so I just opened the door and there they were - - one of them - - Potter - - pointing a gun at me! He wanted to know where the Silver Kid was. I told him I didn't know anybody by that name, or description, and that's when he hit me!"

"You lied for _me_?" Mick exclaimed.

"Not exactly _lied_, Mick, since he asked for a _man_ named the Silver Kid!" Mary replied with a blush and a smile.

"And then?" the sheriff urged.

"They made me go into the kitchen to make them some food and that's when I saw Brigitte crossing the yard. I went to the door supposedly to give coffee to the guard outside, but really to warn Brigitte. I saw her shoot two of the outlaws and then Potter grabbed me and I guess she was afraid of hitting me so that's when Potter shot her! That's about all I can tell you."

"That's fine, Mary, thank you. So, Mick, can you explain why Potter's gang was here after you?" Taylor turned to the diminutive gunfighter.

"I killed Luke Potter - - Nate, his brother, was out for revenge."

"Right, I remember Joshua and Thaddeus mentioning that fact. Well, I can't see how it's anything other than clear-cut self-defense. What do you think, Sheriff Trevors?"

"Pretty plain, I'd say," Lom agreed.

"I guess we'll load the bodies on their horses then and haul 'em down to the undertaker. I'll also put in for the reward money for you all."

"We don't want blood money, Sheriff," Curry said adamantly.

"You're going to need to make repairs to your house here - - that floor, for example, is going to have to be replaced - - ain't no getting all that blood out - - and a new window or two. Might as well put the money to good use - - and _not_ pauperize my townspeople at the poker tables!"

"Maybe you're right, just this once."

"The law down in Arizona and New Mexico's going to want to know the Potter gang's reign of terror is over also!"

"_Good God!"_ exclaimed the cultured voice of Dr. Bartholomew Higgins as he stared horrified at the carnage, stepping gingerly around a large puddle of blood to get out of the way of two deputies carrying an outlaw's body. "Has war been declared in Colorado?"

"Declared, fought, and won all in one day," Curry replied.

Dr. O'Reilly, behind Dr. Higgins, crossed himself and said, "I'd thought to never see such sights again after leaving Ireland!"

"Father, Bartholomew! Thank goodness you're here!" Mary exclaimed. "Brigitte has been shot! Come quickly!"

"Shot? My Brigitte?" Dr. O'Reilly allowed his younger daughter to haul him quickly up the stairs, followed by Dr. Higgins and Kid Curry.

Heyes looked up from his vigil at Brigitte's bedside as the door opened to admit the two doctors and Mary - - Curry remained in the doorway, leaning against the jam with his arms crossed over his chest. Dark brown eyes showed desperate relief. "Thank God, you're both here! You've got to help her!"

"Easy, lad, easy!" Dr. O'Reilly said. "We're going to do what we can, but you're going to have to let us get in there and examine the lass."

"_Good God_!" Dr. O'Reilly repeated himself, his face paling at the sight of Brigitte drenched in blood lying on the bed.

Heyes glanced sharply at the physician, suddenly suspicious. "You gonna faint there, Dr. Barty? I'm not feelin' too confident in you right now."

"Forgive me, no, I don't faint at the sight of blood - - I just wasn't prepared to see her, someone I know, like this – it's just so barbaric!" the young doctor stammered, but seemed to pull his composure together. "Could you step aside so we can examine her?"

Reluctantly Heyes laid Brigitte's hand on the bed and stood aside to allow the two doctors access to the wounded girl, but he kept a wary eye on the younger.

"Mary, lass, we're going to need a basin of warm water and some clean cloths, if you don't mind," Dr. O'Reilly said.

"Of course, father, it shan't be more than a moment if the water in the kettle hasn't burned all away!"

Curry glanced at his partner, hesitating a moment before following Mary down to the kitchen.

"I'm sure I can get it myself, Thaddeus," the girl said.

"If you think I'm going to let you out of my sight any time soon, you have another think comin'!" Curry retorted.

"To be honest, I _am_ rather afraid to go into the kitchen after what's happened today," she admitted, accepting his company gratefully.

At Brigitte's side her father had taken out his stethoscope and was listening to her heartbeat. "Steady, albeit weak," he reported.

Across the bed, Dr. Higgins said, "Let's get these blood soaked cloths off and see what we've got, shall we?"

Heyes watched anxiously as the two doctors gently worked the makeshift bandages off the wound, revealing an ugly red hole in the center of her chest. His stomach tightened at the sight and he whispered, "I don't understand how she can still be alive after bein' shot dead center like that!"

Dr. Higgins looked across at the outlaw leader and answered, "Fortunately the heart is not dead center as most people assume, rather it's slightly left of center, making Brigitte one lucky girl as the bullet has obviously missed the heart and the lungs as well since I see no signs of bleeding from the mouth!"

"No, there was none of that," Heyes replied. "So, she's gonna be all right?"

"No, I didn't say that, and it rather depends on your definition of 'all right'," the young doctor hedged. "You do know that it's complete possible for a person to live with a bullet in their body, don't you?"

"Yes, I know several men walkin' around with slugs still in 'em."

"Hmm." It was Dr. Higgins turn to eyes to eye the other man suspiciously. "Well, the problem with this bullet's location is that if it shifts it _could_ possibly puncture the heart and kill her!"

"So why don't you take the bullet out?"

"If I go probing for the bullet, I'm just as likely to accidentally puncture her heart and kill her because I would be probing blind."

Heyes clenched his hands into fists to keep them from wrapping themselves around the young doctor's throat and throttling him. "Sooooo, what do you recommend?"

"The prudent option would be to leave the bullet where it is. Brigitte would then have to live a quieter life than she's been used to - - no galloping madly about the countryside, for instance. Even then it would be no guarantee as she could get a bad cold with a severe cough that could also cause the bullet to shift. The travails of childbirth would also be problematic."

"You ain't paintin' too good of a picture, doc!" Heyes growled in frustration. "She may die if you take the bullet out. She carries the bullet and could drop dead any time! What if she has a bad night of tossin' an' turnin'?"

Dr. Higgins shrugged. I am only explaining to you the possibilities."

"I will not live my life as an invalid!" a weak voice from the bed stated emphatically.

"Brigitte!" Heyes exclaimed, his eyes brightening. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever wake up!"

"You two arguing over the top of me makes it pretty near impossible to sleep!"

"We weren't arguing."

"No, you were just discussing all the possible ways I could die! Well, I _won't_ sit around and just wait for the damn bullet to decide to kill me! Take it out!" She closed her eyes, panting, as the effort to speak had exhausted what little strength she had.

Heyes raked his fingers through his hair and spun around to pace across the room and back. "This can't be happening!" he exclaimed softly. "Why can't we _ever_ catch a break?"

"There _is_ one other possibility," Dr. Higgins said hesitantly.

"What is it? Out with it, doc!" Hope leaped to life in the dark eyes.

"There is a new procedure that would make it easier to remove the bullet, but it isn't widely known and is really still experimental," the young doctor began.

"Have _you_ done it before?" Heyes demanded.

"Not personally, but I have assisted and I feel confident I can do it."

"What does it entail, lad?" Dr. O'Reilly queried.

"I have to open up the chest cavity so that I can have a clear view of the bullet's path, or even the bullet itself, so that way I won't be probing blindly. It's still no guarantee of survival particularly because of the threat of infection, but it's the best chance she has to ever live her normal life again."

"Do it!" Brigitte whispered hoarsely.

"I'm afraid you are too weak from blood loss and trauma to survive it right now. I need to go back to town to get my instruments and notes. If this is what you want, I'll come back in one week - - a week in which you will rest and rebuild your strength. You will stay in bed and limit your movements to only the briefest and most necessary. It goes without saying that this plan is useless if the bullet shifts and kills you before I can get back!"

"Understood," said the injured girl.

"I'll tie her down if I need to," Heyes promised.

"I'm certain that won't be necessary, Joshua," Dr. Higgins frowned.

"Obviously you don't know Brigitte like I do, Dr. Barty!" Heyes winked and flashed his dimpled grin at the bed-ridden girl, who smiled weakly back.

"Here's the water and cloths, Father," Mary announced from the doorway.

"Very good," Dr. O'Reilly boomed. "Could you come in and help us get Brigitte cleaned up and comfortable?"

"Of course, Father."

"Joshua, Bartholomew, if you could excuse us, we should preserve as much of Brigitte's modesty as possible."

Heyes stepped in front of the doctor and leaned forward to claim Brigitte's lips in a gentle kiss. "I'll be right back as soon as you're presentable. Lom has decided to pay us a visit so I'd better find out what he wants."

"No more dangerous jobs, promise?"

"I promise."

Heyes quietly closed the door and leaned against it with a deep sigh. Curry looked at him in silent concern. Then the dark outlaw leader rubbed a hand across his eyes and seemed to almost physically shake himself. "Let's go see what Lom wants, shall we?"

"Let's."

"Before you do that, Joshua, I should really see to that wound in your leg," Dr. Higgins said.

"It's nothin', Barty, just a flesh wound."

"Nevertheless, infection is a distinct possibility - - and I would appreciate a word with you."

Heyes took in the serious face of the young doctor. "Ah! Well, in that case, I'm all yours. We can use the next room down here."

Inside the room, Heyes eased onto the edge of the bed and extended his injured limb. "Really, doc, it's not a big deal - - I've had plenty worse!"

"I'll just check that it doesn't need stitches, apply some antiseptic and a clean bandage."

"Fine, fine," the outlaw leader sighed.

Dr. Higgins snipped the strip of cloth that bound the wound but found that the cloth pad had stuck. He wet it liberally with antisepti causing Heyes to suck in his breath. "While that soaks in, I'd like to talk to you about Brigitte. I want to make sure you are clear on just how grave her situation is."

"I think I'm pretty clear on that point, doc, why?"

"I don't know who you and Thaddeus are, but I have the distinct feeling that you are very dangerous men and I don't want you to be angry with me if, after my best efforts, Brigitte dies!"

"This sounds very familiar, Joshua, 'cept last time it was _you_ layin' in bed nearly dead!" Curry said wryly.

"Wish it was again, Thaddeus!" Heyes replied emphatically. Then to the doctor he said, "I don't know why you'd feel like that, Barty, we're just two fellas startin' up a horse ranch!" He pasted his most innocent look on his face. "An' if you exert you're best efforts to heal Brigitte and she . . ." he choked. "Ain't no reason for us t'take it out on you!"

Relief swept over Dr. Higgins' face. "That's fine then."

"However," Curry put in, his blue eyes icy. "If we suspect you _ain't_ exerted your best efforts then we may have to revisit this conversation!"

"Thaddeus has a point there, Dr. Barty!" Heyes agreed, winking surreptitiously at his partner.

"But . . . but . . ." Bartholomew Higgins stuttered, his face pasty.

Heyes' lips twisted slowly into a smile and Curry chuckled gleefully. "Relax, doc, we're just funnin' with you!"

Dr. Higgins' eyes darted between the two men unsure what to believe.

"Could you finish up this leg now? We've gotta go talk to our friend."

"Of course!" The bandage now came off fairly easily. "Well, it's no longer bleeding, but it's pretty deep and it's going to leave an ugly scar if I don't stitch it."

"That scar'll have plenty of company, doc, so just bandage it up."

"You'll need to keep it clean and change the bandage every day," the doctor explained as he re-bandaged the leg.

"We know the drill, doc."

Dr. Higgins looked up into the once again serious brown eyes and said, "Why don't I doubt that for a minute?"

"Cuz we're honest fellas, doc, that's why!" Curry grinned.

"Uh huh. Well, take care that Brigitte rest, eats, to rebuild her strength. Do what you can to keep her attitude positive and I'll see you in a week." He put his equipment back into his bag and hurried out the door.

"D'ya think we scared 'im, Joshua?"

"I think we just might have, Thaddeus," Heyes grinned. "C'mon, let's go find out why Lom's here."

The only people left in the house downstairs were Mick, Sam, Lom, and Dr, Higgins, who was tending to Mick's arm graze. The members of the posse were visible in the yard tying the outlaw's bodies onto their horses.

"Why did we think a two story house would be a good idea, Thaddeus?" Heyes complained as he sank gratefully into a chair, his leg throbbing.

"Didn't expect you t'get shot in the leg most likely, Joshua," was Curry's reply.

"_We_ should always expect the worse an' plan accordingly!"

"Brigitte's additions to the house sure paid off today in a big way - - she thinks a lot like you."

"That they did." Heyes sighed. "What am I gonna do if . . ."

"None of that what if'n you're so good at, Joshua!" Curry snapped. "Brigitte's gonna get well an' we're gonna keep on with our plan!"

Lom cleared his throat reminding the two that others were present.

"Sorry, Lom!" Heyes snapped out of his mood and smiled at the ex-outlaw lawman. "So what brought you all the way here from Porterville again?"

Lom reached into the inner pocket of his vest and pulled out two white envelopes. He handed one to each man.

"What's this, Lom?" Curry asked.

"Read it for yourself."

Both men opened their envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper. Two sets of eyes read the words. Heyes finished first, but said nothing, only narrowing his eyes in thought.

Curry got to the end of the letter and his boyish face lit up with an excited grin. "Amnesty, Heyes!" he exclaimed. "The governor finally kept his promise!"

"So he did, Kid," Heyes replied.

"You don't seem none too happy about it," Curry frowned.

Heyes turned his eyes to his sheriff friend. "The governor ain't runnin' for re-election, is he, Lom? That's why he dared to grant us amnesty, isn't it?"

"Heyes, you're a damn cynic!" Kid growled. "What does it matter _why_?"

"It matters to me, Kid. Am I right, Lom?" Dark brown eyes bored into the sheriff's

"You're right, Heyes, he's not running for re-election, but he is impressed with all that you've done! I went to the capitol myself after your sheriffin' in Coleville and told 'im what a great job you'd done! I'm sure he'd have granted your amnesty after that even if he _was_ running for re-election!"

"I ain't sure of that at all, Lom, after all the broken promises and delays he's given us all this time!" Heyes' voice dripped bitterness. "This letter ain't enough, Lom."

"What more do you want, Heyes?"

"I want the news published in every newspaper - - front page with a big headline! I want every sheriff, Pinkerton agent, bounty hunter, an' just plain greedy person in this country t'know that there ain't a bounty on us anymore! I don't want to have to carry this letter around with me every day for the rest of my life to prove to every passerby that I ain't an outlaw anymore! An' that's if Kid an' I don't get shot in the back by a bounty hunter before we can _show_ 'im the letter! _That's_ what I want! If he ain't gonna be governor anymore that little thing shouldn't be any skin off his nose!" Heyes' eyes blazed with anger and frustration and determination.

Curry stared at his partner and Lom sat thoughtfully rubbing his chin. The silence reigned thickly until Dr. Higgins burst out, "I _knew_ it! I - - " Anything else he would have said was choked off when Curry turned his cold eyes on the physician. "I'll be leaving now," he said instead and snapped his bag shut and scurried out the door to not be left behind by the posse,

"You got a valid point there, Heyes," Lom admitted. "I'll inform the governor when I get back to Porterville and If I have to I'll go see him again personally."

"That's good. Thanks, Lom," Heyes sighed.

"Can I be excited now, Heyes?" Curry asked plaintively.

"Sure, Kid," his partner replied indulgently.

Mary and Dr. O'Reilly chose that moment to come down the stairs. Curry spun around with a broad grin, which fell away as he took in Mary's paler that usual face.

"Are you all right, Mary?" he asked solicitously.

"Just a wee bit tired and worn, Thaddeus," she replied. "It's been an eventful day."

"That's _one_ way of sayin' it!" the Kid said wryly. "What I meant was considerin' you bein' sensitive t'pain an' all . . ."

"I'm fine. Brigitte isn't really in all that much pain if she doesn't move around."

"That's real good. Lom here brought Heyes an' me some news," Curry began.

Mary caught her breath. "You got your amnesties?"

"We got our amnesties!" Curry whooped and swept her up in his arms and spun her around.

"Oh, Thaddeus, Joshua, that's wonderful news! Brigitte will be so pleased when she hears!" Once Curry planted her back on her feet she went to Heyes and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Heyes smiled wanly and sighed, "Well, if you two are done with her then perhaps I should go give her the news."

"You'll be doin' no such thing, laddie!" Dr. O'Reilly boomed. "Brigitte's asleep and you're near to passing out right there! The least you'll do is have a bite of supper to keep up your strength!"

"Oh, no! There's no supper!" Mary cried.

"Why don't you let me fix something, Mary?" Sam offered. "I'm sure there's eggs and bacon in the pantry, aren't there?"

"If you're sure you don't mind, Sam, that would be wonderful!" the girl replied gratefully.

"Could you use some help, Sam?" Mick asked.

"Sure, if you're up to it, Mick."

"So, Lom, how long can you stay?" Heyes asked after Sam and Mick had retreated to the kitchen.

"I'll need to head back in the morning," the lawman replied. "Deputy Harker's a good man, but strange things seem to happen occasionally when I'm gone."

"Really? I certainly can't understand that, Lom," the dark eyes widened in feigned surprise.

"Uh huh. Well, it's best I not leave him alone too long. Best to leave before more snow flies, too."

"Too true," Curry agreed. "You wouldn't want to take a chance on getting snowed in here with us!"

"Why not? It'd be just like old times, Lom!"

"Old times we've _all_ left behind us," Lom snorted. "Gratefully on my part - - I don't relish sleeping on the ground anymore."

"We hope to get as spoiled as you from now on, Lom."

"You have a might nice place here, boys - - isolated enough."

"_Not_ enough, obviously, judging by today!" Heyes shot back bitterly.

"Potter's gang's all dead, Heyes," Curry interjected. "Nobody knows we're here now."

"Let's keep it that way, Kid, an' that includes the governor, Lom! As far as he needs to know, we've disappeared! Leastways we're out of his jurisdiction, and the next governor's, too. _You_ know where we are if anyone needs to get in touch with us. You can be our go between."

"Fine by me, Heyes. In fact, I agree that it's a good idea for you two to disappear for a while, even though you have your amnesties - - give people time to forget - - by people I mostly mean bankers and railroad men!"

"Supper's ready," Mick announced. "Such as it is."

Heyes pushed himself up stiffly from the easy chair and nearly collapsed when he tried to take a step. Immediately the Kid and Lom were at his side to prevent the fall. He opened his mouth to protest, but was silenced by the forbidding look in his partner's eyes, so he remained quiet and allowed the two men to help him hobble to the kitchen.

"Nothing fancy, but it'll keep body and soul together," Sam said modestly as they sat at the kitchen table laden with scrambled eggs, a platter of bacon, a tower of flapjacks, biscuits steaming from the oven, and a huge pot of coffee.

"This is amazing, Sam, Mick!" Mary exclaimed. "If this is what you can do on short notice, what can you do if you have unlimited time?"

"Told you Sam was a pretty amazing cook," Curry reminded her.

"Anybody can do breakfast," Sam put in. "But it's going to get cold if it sits any longer!"

The seven bellied up to the table and platters and bowls of food quickly made the rounds as appetites were aroused by the mouth-watering aromas. Even Heyes, whose appetite frequently resembled that of a bird, ate his share.

Stomachs full they all felt the weariness of the day fall over them like a blanket. Lom yawned and Heyes grinned. "I guess you need your beauty sleep, Lom."

"Not as young as I used to be, I guess."

"None of us are," the ex-outlaw agreed. "Tell y'what, Lom, you take my room tonight."

"I couldn't do that, Heyes."

"Sure you can since I'll be sitting with Brigitte tonight. No point in a comfortable bed goin' t'waste."

"Well, if that's the case then I'll accept with thanks, Heyes."

"That's fine, Lom, let me show you where it is," Heyes offered.

"_I'll_ show him where it is," Curry retorted. "_After _I help you up to Brigitte's room - - an' I'll have no arguments from you about it!"

"Don't think I'm in any condition to argue, Kid," Heyes agreed ruefully.

With Curry's arm under his elbow, Heyes got stiffly to his feet, most of his weight on his good leg.

Gratefully reaching Brigittes' room, he settled once again into the chair by her bed. "Thanks, Kid," he sighed.

"Can I get you anythin' else, Heyes?"

"That footstool over there would be nice."

Curry moved the stool and Heyes propped his injured leg on it. "Ah, that's better!"

"I'll go get Lom settled then."

Left alone, Heyes sighed deeply as he gazed on the unconscious girl in the the bed. Her face was as white as the sheet covering her, causing the sprinkle of freckles to stand out strongly in constrast.

He picked up her limp hand, turning it palm up. The ghost of a smile played across his lips as he rubbed his thumb over the calluses made by long hours of practicing her fast draw and roping - - no sheltered lady's hands these. He bent his head and pressed his lips to that beloved hand, his heart aching in his chest.

"Joshua?"

His heart leapt at the sound of her voice, weak as it was, and he looked up from the hand he was holding to see green eyes flickering open. "I'm here, Brigitte," he assured her.

"Kind of an exciting day today," she said, her lips twitching slightly at the corners.

"A bit more exciting than _I'd _like!" Heyes replied.

"Surely you're used to them by now."

"Not when they involve you."

"I guess I've had that adventure I've always wanted."

"And did it live up to your expectations?"

"Aside from getting shot, yes. Next time, I'll be better!"

"No next times! Kid an' I came here t'live peaceful, quiet lives!"

"Lom didn't come to take you away from me again, did he?"

No, Brigitte, he brought us the best news . . ."

"You got your amnesties?" she guessed.

"We got our amnesties!" He smiled. "No more runnin' from posses, or bounty hunters!"

"That's wonderful news! I'm so happy for you and Thaddeus!"

"Be happy for _us_ \- - me an' you - - now you can be sure nothin' will drag me away from you!"

She smiled and her eyes drooped sleepily. "I'm sorry, Joshua, but I think I need to sleep some more."

"Go right ahead, Brigitte, I'll be right here when you wake up."

Lids closed over the emerald eyes and she slept, a tiny smile still on her lips.


	9. Chapter 9

Trail's End

Chapter Nine

Lom left the next morning just after daybreak, Heyes and Curry there to bid him farewell.

"You boys got a good thing going here," he said. "I'm mighty proud of you. Gotta say I've worried some over these years."

"No more than us, Lom," Curry replied. "It ain't no easy job keepin' Heyes on the straight an' narrow!"

Heyes managed a slight smile at his friend's jab, but it didn't reach his dark eyes which were underlined with dark sleepless circles. "'Preciate your comin' all this way with the amnesties, Lom," he said.

"It was the least I could do, Heyes. Now you boys let me know when you're gettin' hitched so I can be here!"

"We'll do that, Lom," Heyes replied. "You have a safe trip. I need to get back to Brigitte."

"Of course, Heyes!"

The gunslinger and the sheriff watched their friend walk away, an uncharacteristic slump to his shoulders.

"I'm worried, Lom," Curry admitted when Heyes was out of sight. "If Brigitte doesn't make it, I don't think even the amnesty will mean anything."

"You think he'd go back to outlawin'?"

"I dunno, Lom, I really don't, but whatever he does I'll hafta go with 'im!" Sorrow at the thought slumped the Kid's shoulders. "He'll do somethin' stupid, I know it."

"What like you were going to pay a visit to the governor kind of stupid?"

"Nah, like rob the Bank of Fort Worth an' get himself killed in the process!"

"That bank's like breaking into Fort Knox!" Lom exclaimed.

"Yup, an' Heyes sees it as a challenge! In fact, he said the other day how he'd come up with the perfect plan!"

The sheriff sighed. "Well, we'd better just hope Brigitte gets better!"

"You got that right, Lom!"

The sheriff swung into his saddle. "Well, keep me informed, Kid. I hope the only news I hear is good news and a wedding date in the Spring!"

"Me, too, Lom."

With a final wave, Lom turned his horse and loped away. Curry watched until he was a dark spot in the distance then sighed and trudged back into the house.

It was a stressful week for everyone at the ranch as they worried about Brigitte, or tiptoed around Heyes, whose dark looks, in the brief times he was out of the wounded girl's room, disinvited anyone from approaching except for the Kid, who had years of experience dealing with his moody partner.

It was easier than anyone expected to keep Brigitte quiet - - weakness from blood loss had her sleeping much of the time. On the occasions when she was awake she was dosed with their blood building Irish medicine that Heyes remembered very well. "Turn around is fair play," he teased when she wrinkled her nose at the taste.

"You're so bad, Heyes, I don't know why I love you so much," she scolded.

"You love me because I'm such a _good_ bad man, Brigitte!" He laughed and kissed the tip of her nose.

Nights were the worst for pain and restlessness, sleep proving elusive at times. A large bottle of laudanum sat on the bedside table for these times, but Brigitte knew the dangers of overuse and would only agree to take it at the worst times. To distract her at other times Heyes would tell her stories of his outlaw days, or read to her for long hours just as she had done for him.

Heyes rarely left her bedside day or night. He grudgingly left when Dr. O'Reilly and Mary insisted in order to change her bandages, or help her with her necessities. Curry would occasionally be successful in getting him to eat at these moments, but more often had to bring him meals as he kept watch.

Friday evening Heyes had fallen into one of his fitful dozes in the chair when he was startled awake by a light touch on his hand that rested on the coverlet. He looked to Brigitte and saw her emerald eyes watching him intently.

"You have to promise me something, Heyes," she said without preamble.

"Of course, Brigitte, if it within my ability," he assured her with a smile.

"If the worst happens, you must promise me you'll stay here and realize your dream."

The smile disappeared and he was silent for a long moment. "I don't think I can promise you that, Brigitte," he replied seriously.

"Why not? You have your amnest now - - no need to stay on the move."

"It's not my dream if you're not in it, Brigitte."

"Nonsense! It was just you and the Kid until just recently."

"When me an' Kid decided to go for amnesty it wasn't to go _to_ something, it was t'stop bein' chased by posses, t'stop worryin' about trigger happy bounty hunters, or spendin' twenty years in prison! Theplan for what to do after we got our amnesties - - this ranch, families - - _that_ has always had you an' Mary in it! Without you - - well, I just can't promise when I ain't sure I can keep it."

"You could lie to set my heart at rest," she suggested.

"No, I won't lie to you - - not even now. There's two lives hangin' in the balance here, Brigitte, so you gotta keep fightin'!" Heyes' eyes burned intently into hers, his hands gripping hers tightly.

"You know I will, Heyes," she whispered. "I'm not letting you go without a fight, me boyo!"

"Good - - that's good!" he sighed and pressed his lips to her palm. When he raised his eyes again, she had drifted back to sleep.

The weather held fair with only light snow flourishes, which eased one of Heyes' many worries - - what if a hard snow came and prevented the doctor from coming back?

But, true to his word, Dr. Higgins drove up exactly one week later, his buggy laden with his instruments and supplies. He headed straight for his patient, while willing hands unloaded the buggy and cared for his horse.

Heyes was reading when Dr. Higgins and Dr. O'Reilly entered the room. His eyes lit up at the sight of the young doctor and he stood to shake his hand. "It's good to see you, Dr. Barty!"

"How is our patient?" he asked, looking over at the pale girl in the bed.

"Impatient," Heyes replied.

"No, that's you, Joshua," Brigitte disagreed. "But I'm ready so let's get it done!"

"I'll be the judge of that, Brigitte. If you would excuse us for a moment - - " He paused. "What am I supposed to call you now in light of the recent events?"

"Joshua still works, or you can call me Heyes, it doesn't matter to me."

"All right, Joshua, if you could give us a moment."

"Of course." He leaned over and kissed Brigitte lightly. "I'll be right outside."

"No, you go get a good breakfast, Joshua, and some fresh air," the girl ordered. "Da and Barty will take good care of me in the meantime."

"You do look a bit wan, Joshua," Dr. Higgins agreed, looking critically at the ex-outlaw. "Do as she says, you'll be of no use if you exhaust yourself."

"Fine!" Heyes growled and stomped out, but closed the door gently behind him.

Kid Curry's eyes appraised his partner when Heyes stalked into the kitchen and poured himself a mug of coffee. "You look like hell, Heyes," he critiqued.

Heyes just grunted and flopped into a chair.

Curry stood and got his partner a plate, then brought some covered dishes from the stove where they were keeping warm. "Eat. You ain't no good t'Brigitte starved t'death!"

Grumbling under his breath, Heyes broke open a biscuit and slapped a healthy portion of bacon between the halves. He devoured it in silence, much to the Kid's appreciation of the show of appetite, tossed off his coffee and poured himself a fresh cup.

"I've been tellin' myself an' Brigitte that everything was gonna be all right when Dr. Barty got back," he finally broke his silence. "But now he's here an' the time has come, I'm scared, Kid! Right now Brigitte's hurt an' helpless an' she hates it, but she's _alive_, Kid! What'm I gonna do if - - if - -" he couldn't finish.

"You can't be thinkin' like that, Heyes," Curry replied. "Brigitte's a fighter - - she's gonna beat this!"

"She tried t'make me promise t'stay here, t'keep goin', if she don't make it, but I just couldn't make a promise I may not be able t'keep! She said I shoulda just lied, but I couldn't even do that, Kid!"

"Look at you, Heyes, goin' all soft!" Curry grinned. "Your silver tongue ain't never had trouble lyin' before!"

"It never mattered so much before."

"She wouldn't know the difference."

"But _I_ would an' if I can rationalize that one lie then what would stop me from rationalizing another and then another? I can't build a new life on top of lies."

"You never stop surprisin' me, Heyes."

"How 'bout takin' a walk with me, Kid? Catch me up on what's new on the ranch?"

"Sure, Heyes."

Truth to tell there was little to show since they were hunkering down for the winter, but Heyes needed the distraction and the fresh air. Curry understood this about his friend and, although it went; against his taciturn nature, he rambled on about the little things that had been going on during Heyes' voluntary isolation.

"Though your ego don't need it, Heyes," he said after a few minutes. "I'm beginnin' t'think you're right about Sam an' Mick."

Heyes' eyes lit up a bit. "Really? What has made you change your mind?"

"Well, they're still arguin' all the time, but they spend a lot of time together an' I figure if they didn't like each other they'd find ways t'avoid each other."

"Uh huh."

"See, like that," Curry pointed to a round corral behind the barn. Inside the corral were Sam and Mick and one of Sam's mustangs on a long rope. The pair were in deep conversation as the horse stood patiently. "It's been pretty much just the two of them keepin' things runnin' this past week."

As they watched, Sam said something they couldn't hear and Mick threw back her head and laughed.

"Whoa, Kid, we ever heard her laugh?" Heyes asked, eyes wide in surprise.

"Not to my recollection, Heyes."

"Huh! Well, I guess you know better than t'bet against me in matters of the heart, don't you, Kid?"

"Just cuz you're right this time don't make you an expert, Heyes!" Curry snorted.

"You just keep tellin' yourself that, Kid." Heyes smiled indulgently.

"Joshua! Jed!" Mary's voice reached them from the house. They turned to see her waving them in.

Heyes' smile faded and was replaced by the worried look that had been ever present for a week. A small sigh escaped his lips and he straightened his back resolutely as he strode quickly back to the main house, Curry at his heels.

Both doctors were waiting for him in the living room their faces revealing nothing.

"So what's the verdict?" Heyes demanded.

"I'm satisfied with Brigitte's progress and believe she is strong enough for surgery," Dr. Higgins replied.

"When will you do it?"

"I see no reason to delay any longer - - I'm ready now."

"That's great, Dr. Barty!" Heyes grinned, relieved that the waiting was over. "Do you mind if I see her first?"

"Absolutely, in fact I recommend that you do." The 'in case the worst happens' hung unspoken in the air.

Brigitte's smiled face and excited eyes greeted Heyes' entrance to her room. "Barty told you the good news?" she asked.

"Yes, he did," Heyes replied, reclaiming his chair and her hand. "I take it you're a bit happy about it."

"I am _so_ ready to get out of this bed, Heyes!" she exclaimed. "I know you understand the feeling."

"Only too well, sadly." He shook his head. "But we'll have you up and about in now time an' then I'm gonna hafta be nice t'Doc Barty!"

"That won't be too hard to do if you avoid needing his services."

"Nothing easier since I'll be here with you to keep me out of trouble!"

A quiet knock on the door announced the arrival of the two doctors - - ready to begin.

Heyes stood and leaned over the bed, pressing a gentle lingering kiss to the still too pale lips. "I'll see you soon, Brigitte," he promised.

"You'd better believe it, Heyes!" she replied.

Heyes paused at the door as Doctor Higgins said, "It will be at least three hours before you'll be able to see her."

"So long?" Heyes' eyes widened in surprise.

"It's not an easy procedure and because her heart will actually be exposed, I have to take great care to not do any more damage and to avoid contamination. Then Dr. O'Reilly will want to monitor her for a time after she wakes up."

"Reckon me an' Kid'll head to town then an' bring Sean up for the weekend. Does he know about Brigitte?"

"We've only told him that she's had an accident," Dr. O'Reilly replied.

"Probably something he should have been told, especially considering . . ." he didn't finish.

"You're right, Joshua," the older doctor said contritely. "Well, you bring him up and he'll see that she's going to be just fine and then we can tell him."

"A mite backwards, but best we can do now. I'll be back in three hours."

Once again Heyes closed the door quietly behind him.

He found Curry was sitting with his feet up in front of the fire in the living room. "Wanna go for a ride, Kid?" he asked his partner.

Kid looked at the warm fire and sighed. "Where to, Heyes?"

"Thought I'd ride into town for a drink."

Curry refrained from mentioning the obvious that there was plenty to drink in the house. "Sure, why not?"

"Also thought it would be a good idea t'bring Sean up for the weekend. Can you believe they ain't told him 'bout Brigitte?"

"Guess they didn't want t'worry him none," Curry replied, getting to his feet.

"Molly-coddlin'!" Heyes snorted.

They were soon mounted and leaving the ranch behind them. Heyes crushed the desire to look back, fearing to jinx his luck.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

They stopped first at the O'Reilly home to inform Sean and the Widow McDaniel that the boy would be spending the weekend at the ranch. Sean was beside himself with excitement and ran up to his room to begin gathering his things.

"Hope you don't mind, ma'am," Heyes said politely to the widow.

"Och, no, laddie! Keepin' two houses an' I've work aplenty t'catch up on!"

"We'll be back shortly then."

The hitched their horses in front of the saloon and strolled into the mostly empty establishment. George, polishing glasses, glanced up at the newcomers and then looked nervously away - - Heyes' last shouted words to him still ringing in his ears.

Heyes' sharp eyes caught it and quickly reassured the man, "Ain't gonna hurt ya, George, just need a whiskey!"

"Sure, Mr. Smith, right away!" George scooped up two shot glasses and a bottle of his best whiskey and poured them each a drink. "Sheriff told me what happened up there at your place. I'm real sorry 'bout having a part in it! I'd never . . ."

Heyes cut him off. "I know, George, an' it's done now - - water under the bridge."

Sheriff Taylor strode into the saloon, caught the ex-outlaws' eyes and nodded towards a table. Heyes had George refill their glasses and he and Curry joined the lawman.

"How's Brigitte?" he asked without preamble.

"Doc Higgins is up there now tryin' t'get the bullet out," Heyes replied somberly. "He's optimistic."

"Well, she's a strong - - and stubborn - - girl so if anyone can pull through she can!" He paused. "I put in the reward claim and it should be here anytime. You boys got an account at the bank?"

Heyes nearly spit out a mouthful of whiskey and Curry chuckled.

"We ain't never been much for puttin' money _in_ banks, sheriff!" the gunslinger said while Heyes composed himself.

"Right," the lawman nodded. "Well, you might want to consider it now. When the reward money arrives I could just put it in the bank for you. Plus it'll make future business dealings easier."

"You might have a point there, sheriff," Heyes replied. "We'll just mosey on over there while we're here today an' open an account."

"Excellent! I'd also like you to know that an order for replacement windows has been sent - - should be here in a month or so. Mr. Collins will hold them for you if snow has made the road impassable by then."

"That's mighty neighborly of you, sheriff." Heyes' surprise was plain on his face.

"It wasn't any trouble at all, Joshua! Mr. Collins still had the original order on file so he just re-sent it. Do you need a hand with boarding up the windows to keep the winter out?"

"No, we've got it taken care of, thanks. The house is a bit gloomier now, but we've spent winters in worse, haven't we, Thaddeus?"

"Got that right, Joshua," Curry agreed.

"That's good. Mr. Collins also has a block of pumice for you that will help remove the blood from the floor, or at least make it less noticeable until the floor can be replaced!"

"We've thrown a rug over the biggest stain, but we don't have enough to cover them all! That will be very helpful, thank you."

"We take care of our own here in Coldwater. Now I'd better get back to my office."

Heyes exchanged a bemused look with Curry after the sheriff had gone. "Guess we're really gonna be honest citizens now, Kid," he commented.

"Who'd have thought it, Heyes, us puttin' money _into_ a bank!" Curry replied with a smile.

"Will wonders never cease? We'd better mosey on over to the bank then an' get it all set up."

"Lead the way."

The bank manager, Mr. Morris, welcomed them effusively. "Good morning, gentlemen! How may I be of assistance today?"

"We find ourselves in need of a bank account, Mr. Morris," Heyes replied.

"Certainly! Nothing easier!"

"Thing is we don't have any money to deposit now, but we're expecting a wire of $5000 sometime soon and need some place safe to put it. Is that a problem?"

"Not at all! I'll get the account paperwork done, everything set to go for when your deposit arrives," the banker assured them.

"Will it be any problem if it's Sheriff Taylor who deposits the money?"

"Certainly not! There are no restrictions on who puts money _in_ only on who takes money _out_! Only those you allow on the account will have access to your account for withdrawal purposes."

"Who do we want to have access to our account, Thaddeus?" Heyes asked.

"Brigitte and Mary or we're likely to get our heads blowed off," Curry replied.

"Thanks to you, Thaddeus!" Heyes groused.

"Let it go, Joshua," Curry said with an eye roll.

"Fine. Sam should probably have access bein' our foreman an' all."

"Mick's our partner," Curry added.

"Well, that's everybody on the ranch! Somehow that don't seem right."

Mr. Morris interrupted. "What you may like to consider is a separate account for your ranch business expenses and separate personal accounts so as to not have all your eggs in one basket so to speak."

Heyes and Curry exchanged a glance. "Whatever you think's best, Joshua." Curry deferred to his partner.

Heyes thought a moment. "The money comin' in is for the ranch, for the repars we need to make, so let's just open the one for the ranch will all of us on it - - I don't see any of them robbing us. Once we start makin' a profit we can consider other accounts."

"Very good, Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones."

The papers were prepared and signed and the two ex-bank robbers soon walked out of the bank as customers.

"I feel kinda dirty now, Kid," Heyes commented.

"Know what ya mean, Heyes, but I expect we'll get used to bein' lawful citizens sooner or later."

Their next stop was the general store where Mr. and Mrs. Collins greeted them warmly.

"How is Bridget?" Mrs. Collins asked with sincere concern in her voice. "We've all been so worried."

"Dr. Higgins is up there now removing the bullet as we speak. To be honest it's going to be touch and go." Heyes told her somberly.

"We'll be sure to send up a prayer for her," the shopkeeper assured him.

Unexpectedly moved, Heyes felt a lump form in his throat. He coughed lightly to cover it up and managed a 'thank you'.

Curry stepped in to allow his partner time to recover. "Sheriff Taylor said you had a block of pumice set aside for us?"

"Yes, indeed!" He reached under the counter and brought out a sizable block of the abrasive material. "It will take a little elbow grease, but it should minimize the blood stains until you have time to do repairs."

"Thank you, that will be very helpful." Curry replied.

"Is there anything else we can do for you today?"

"How 'bout a dollar's worth of candy."

Mr. Collins eyes widened slightly at the amount, but he simply asked, "Any kind in particular?"

"No, some of each would be fine."

With purchases tucked into saddlebags, they proceeded to the O'Reilly house where Sean waited impatiently on the steps, a horse with loaded saddlebags tied at the gate.

"Ready, Sean?" Curry asked unnecessarily as the boy was already running to the gate.

"Boy, am I!"

"Y'got your own horse now, eh?" Heyes said with a grin as the boy scrambled into the saddle of the way too big for him horse.

"Yes. Da got a new buggy horse so he gave Finn to me! I have to feed him and brush him every day."

"As well you should - - your life can depend on your horse!"

"Joshua's sure did last year if you recall," Curry put in.

"I sure do!"

"Do you also remember that talk we had about outlaws being bad people?" Curry asked.

"Uh huh, except for Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry!"

"Right, but they're the exception to the rule. Outlaws are likely to hurt either you, or people you love."

Sean nodded but looked confused.

Curry reined in his horse and turned his steely blue eyes on the boy. "What I'm tryin' t'say is this – a gang of outlaws – Potter's gang, y'ever heard of them?"

Sean shook his head.

"Well, they came up to the ranch lookin' for revenge on somebody an' there was a big shoot out an' - - well, Bridget was shot!"

The boy's eyes grew most and his lips trembled as this new sank in. "But Da said she was just sick!"

"He didn't wanna worry you."

"Is - - is she all right?" his voice shook.

"Doc Barty's up there right now fixin' her up. We come t'get you cuz she wants t'see you."

Sean's face paled and tears began to trickle down his cheeks. "She's _dying!_ That's always what people do when they're dying!"

The ex-outlaws exchanged rueful glances realizing too late that being raised up as a doctor's son would make him more aware of certain things.

Heyes took over to Curry's relief. "I'm not gonna lie to you, Sean, she was hurt real bad! Doc Barty's tryin' t'remove a bullet that's real close to her heart an' it's a very risky operation, but he's a good doctor an' he has every confidence that she'll pull through just fine!" _So much for not lying!_ "She shot two of them before they got her, though! She's as fast and good a shot as Kid Curry himself!" Heyes couldn't help a feeling of pride swell his heart as he told Sean this.

"Really?" The boy's eyes brightened a little at the new of his sister's heroism.

"Really. An' someone that tough is too tough t'let one little bullet keep 'em down! Ain't that right?"

"Sure is! Bridget's the toughest girl I know!" Sean said proudly.

"So let's get a move on then- - you'll want t'be there when she wakes up!"

The trio urged their horses into a ground eating gallop - - fear and hope goading them on.


End file.
